Broken Contract
by windwhisprer
Summary: All those years ago, six year old Ino and Shikamaru made a contract together. Ten years later, when the contract is broken, how will Ino react? And how will Shikamaru? ShikaIno
1. Of Begginings and Endings

**A/N:** This is a weird oneshot I came up with at five in the morning. Anyway, it was clearly supposed to be a longer story, and if I ever get around to it, I'll turn it into a long story and change some things around. But until then, I have this oneshot.

**Summary: **All those years ago, six-year-old Ino and Shikamaru made a contract together. Ten years later, when the contract is broken, how will Ino react? And how will Shikamaru? ShikaIno

**Broken Contract**

The Nara boy ran, and he ran hard. Tripping over foliage and meerly his own feet. Every mucle in his body burned in agony, pleading desperatly for him to stop, but he couldn't. He knew if he stopped he would be dead.

The air that he absorbed burned his lungs painfully, and he never seemed to be getting enough of it. He pushed branches and leaves, anything he could to slow down his pursuer. His entire six-year-old life seemed to be flashing before his eyes, and he realized fully how short it was. There was no time for regrets now, he had to run.

He could hear the horrible panting of the giant dog behind him. Running just as fast as he. Playing with his food. The dog sped up and bit down on his heel, causing the Nara boy to move faster, although, with everything else that seemed to hurt, his ankle now hindered him as well.

He could see the lights of the festival. The spring festival. Oh, how could he be so stupid? Why did he have to wander away from everyone else? Now he was going to be ripped apart by this stupid dog, and no one would even notice.

He tried to cry out, but his voice was frail and weak, he only let out a small squeak. His mouth was parched and his throat hurt. He didn't know how long he had been running, but it felt like an eternity.

He burst from the trees and onto the hillside. He could see them! The lights of the people below! Oh! He was going to make it after all! If he could just get down there, someone could call off the dog and he would be saved! In his excitement, the brown-haired boy lost control of his feet, and he took a painful face-first landing on the hard ground. He whirled around, facing the dog at least twice his size, his fangs bared, drool dripping down his lip. A small, pleasurable growl escaping his lips, and, the boy could swear, a dog-like grin plastered on his face.

He was going to die! He was going to die here and now! All alone! Eaten by some mangey dog... his mind snapped over to the dog as it aproched.

"Hey! Who do you think you are! Messing with my friend!" the voice was so framiliar. His charcol eyes snapped over to the blonde aproching. Her hair was done up beautifuly, she wore her pink cherry blossom kimono she had been saving just for this night. She looked like one of those little china dolls he saw in stores, only, instead of holding a fan, she had a really big stick.

"That's right!" the girl continued. "I'm talking to you mister I-can-eat-anybody-I-want!" she marched directly over to the large dog, and whacked him hard with her stick. There was no fear in her large, innocent, blue orbs, the boy noticed.

The dog, more annoyed then scared, turning his fangs over to the girl standing next to him, and let a low growl escape from the depths of his throat. "Look out-" his words didn't even reach her as the dog bit down hard on the girls arm, tearing her kimono that she had been talking about (to Shikamaru) for weeks. He bit deeply into her arm, causing the girl to yelp in pain as he threw her back.

Her hair became messy, she fell in the mud, and on top of that she had a bleeding arm! Oh, that dog messed with the wrong six-year-old.

"Ino.. are you-"

"You wreaked me favorite Kimono!" the girl yelled, as she got to her feet, there were tears in her eyes, and yet he saw no fear. She ran to the dog and started beating his hard with the stick, the dog turned and snapped his jaws around it, instantly snapping it. That didn't stop her though, as she started kicking the dog, and biting, carefully avoiding it's mouth. Finally, as she bit down through his ear, he yelped and ran off in pain.

The Yamanaka girl, messy, bleeding, covered in mud, and her kimono completely destroyed, turning to the boy on the ground. He was in complete shock. He knew never to get Ino angry, but never had she seen her so fearless.

It was then she clutched her arm, dropped to the ground, and completely balled her eyes out.

"Ino..." Shikamaru muttered as he sat up. "Your an idiot..." He looked down patheticly at his torn and battered kimono, and sighed. He untied his Obi and gently wrapped it around her elbow, where most of the bleeding was taking place. He glanced down at himself again and frowned. Good thing he was wearing his normal clothes underneath.

Almost at once Ino stopped crying, and then went into rage. "That mean doggie wreaked my kimono. He'll pay for this." Her blue orbs shifted over to Shikamaru, who was looking down at his tattered kimono and trying to resove the problem of explaning this to his psycotic mother.

"You know Shika-chan..." she said, in one of her 'you-owe-me' type of tone. "I saved your life from that dog."

His charcol orbs snapped up to meet hers. "So?" he demanded, afraid of what she was going to say.

"So, I get a reward now. What are you, stupid?" she demanded, before softening into her mischevious tone again.

"What do you want?" Shikamaru asked, after a moment of silence.

"I'm going to make a contract," she said softly, as she started to draw circles in the mud below her. "That means, when we grow up, you have to marry me. And you're not allowed to see any other girls."

"What?" Shikamaru exclaimed. It wasn't the thought of not being able to date other women that bothered him, it was the fact that he'd have Ino as a bride for the rest of his life.

"Yeah! Yeah! That's how it works!" She exclaimed, balling her hands into fists.

"Where did you see that?" he asked, unsure if she was making everything up.

"My daddy told me about it." she said in a cocky tone. When Shikamaru seemed recluctant, Ino forced tears to her eyes. "Pweety pwease Shika-chaaaaan?" she asked, as cute as she could muster.

"No." he barked. The more he thought about it, the more it scared him.

"Fine then," she crossed her arms, instantly changing from her begging mood to her mischevious one. "I'll tell your mama that you tried to run away from the festival."

Shikamaru's eyes widdened, before he sighed. "Alright Ino, I'll be in your contract..." Ino's eyes lit up in sheer joy as the words escaped his mouth. She pulled him from the ground and dragged him back towards the festival.

---

She never liked those sand nin. They were always suspicious. The eldest boy, he was scary. He carried that creepy puppet everywhere, and had a really weird aura. He always wore paint on his face, and whenever he looked at her, it seemed to be in loathing. The youngest son was worse. He looked weak, being shorter then the other two, but she had seen him fight, and knew not to underestamate him. His eyes scared her the most. The way he could be so emotionless, so blank all the time. It just wasn't natural.

The eldest girl she hated the most. With her messy blonde hair, her giant fan, and when she looked at you, she seemed to be judging you, pitying you. Ino was strong, and the last thing she wanted was to be pitied.

The girl brushed the thoughts of the sand team from her mind, as she clipped up her hair. Tonight was the Spring festival, it only happened once every five years in Konoha, for some reason among the higher ups. She didn't care. They were sixteen and officially dating.

Ino hummed a small song as she looked herself over in the mirror.She was wearing a light violet kimono, with dark purple seeping up from the bottem, as though she had wadded through a pool of water. It was much different from her pink kimono she wore ten years ago.

The doorbell rang downstairs, she snatched her purse and hurried off. She opened the door to find Shikamaru standing uncomforterbly by the door. He had never been much of a romantic, she had learned. He was wearing a nice kimono with a dark blue top with grey bottems. He complained earlier, saying he wanted to wear his normal fighting clothes, but Ino scolded him, and he decided it would be easier to wear the damn kimono.

"Shall we go?" he asked, she nodded as he offered her his arm. The two set off down the street, the sun was setting, dying the sky in an eerie redish glow. Children were already having a water fight. Throwing water balloons they just won at each other, while their parents were yelling warnings and promises of later punishment.

The two walked silently down the road, oblivious to everything else. As they entered the deep part of town, where shopowners were trying to take advantage of the festival, offering goods at cheap prices. Ino imedeatly spotted three people she knew, and waved to them happily.

Sakura was the first she saw. Wearing a pink and yellow kimono, being chased by Naruto, who had for some unexplainable reason, decided to wear a bright orange kimono. He had a water ballon in his hands, and was saying he was going to soak her, while Sakura squeaked in delight, and tried to escape him. Sasuke was the next she saw, Naruto had managed to bring him back from Sound, and it seemed he still had a leigon of fangirls following him. She could see one...two... three ...four ...six girls around him. Dragging him this way and that, each trying to woo him in their own way. Sasuke just looked like he wanted to shoot himself.

"Hey... why aren't you over there with pretty boy?" Shikamaru hissed, leaning down next to Ino. She rolled her eyes, she had told him before but the man clearly didn't listen.

"After he left I realized what a jerk he was. We've been over this." Ino smiled as she saw the duo from team seven aproching.

"Hey Ino," Sakura said as she stopped next to him. "Having fun?"

"We just got out acctually. It's really pretty this year." She remarked, as Naruto came to stand beside her.

"We only get this once every five years, so they really try to go all out." Naruto said, still holding the water balloon. Sakura, while his guard was down, quickly smacked it out of his hand. The balloon landed at his feet and exploded, causing him to get soaked. Sakura giggled as she turned to run. "You'd better run!" Naruto yelled as he chased after her.

Ino laughed and looked up through the crowd. She saw something that made her blood run cold.

Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara were heading through the crowd, in their normal ninja attires, wondering exactly what was going on, and how they could avoide it.

"It the sand trio," Shikamaru pointed out, as he pulled his arm from Ino's. "I wonder what they're doing here." Ino gazed reluctantly up at him, and saw a small glimmer in his eyes. She bit the inside of her lip, and looked back over at the three nin, who had spotted a framiliar face and were heading their way. Ino had come to a conclusion; either Shikamaru was gay, or he had a thing for Temari.

She hoped to the heavens he was gay.

"Hey," Kankuro said, as they stopped next to them. 'It's good to see some framiliar faces."

Ino saw Shikamaru play eye tag with Temari, and ager flared up inside her. Shikamaru was hers. He belonged to her!

"What brings you three down here?" Shikamaru asked, as Ino continued to glare dangeriously at the Fan-user.

"The Hokage sent us a message saying that we needed to re-instate treaty arrangements. I guess she planned it so we'd be here for the party," Gaara said, with a bit of a bitter tone at the end. He clearly didn't like big celebrations.

"Well, since we're here anyway," Temari said, a flicker of need in those blue eyes that were so similar yet so different from Ino's. "Gaara, why don't you go meet the Hokage and spend the rest of the night in the hotel room afterwards, being the party pooper you are," Gaara sent out a growl at this. "And me and Kankuro stay out here and enjoy the festivities."

Gaara apparently agreed as he brushed past them and headed for the Hokage's office. Temari turned with a smile to Shikamaru, it seemed her plan was going well. "An if you're not doing anything, how about you and I bugger off someplace less...crowded?" she asked, a smile in her words.

Shikamaru turned and looked over at Ino, who had her lips peirced together in silence. She was leaving this to Shikamaru. He turned his charcol eyes back to her. "Sorry Temari, I'm here on a date."

Temari shrugged. 'Well, if things don't work out or you decide to ditch your date," Ino shot her a death glare. "I'll be at the nearest bar." She turned on her heels afterwards and walked off into the crowds. Ino sighed.

She didn't own him. It was a horrible fact. He loved that horrible sand woman, she could see it. Every move he made proved it. She could control his freedom, but she couldn't control his will. Normall, she would say "screw his will" and it would all be about her. But Ino realized something at that moment, it would be worse to live her whole life with him, and he would never look at her with those love filled eyes he looked at Temari with, then to let him go and try and find someone else to love her like that.

With a saddened heart, she pulled Shikamaru aside. She looked at the ground, mentally preparing herself for what she had to do. Tears sprung to her eyes but she did everything she could to keep them down. She was dumping _him_, therefore, she had to look like she didn't love him anymore.

"Ino, is there something wrong?" he asked, as he gazed down at her with concern.

"I'm releasing you." She said in a very cold voice, one she used often when on missions and dealing with enemies.

He looked at her, completely dumbfounded. "What?"

"I'm realeasing you. This contract is over. Your a free man." She repeated. Hoping he would get the picture and go.

"Why?" he asked, gazing down on her. For crying out loud, he had to ask why!

"Because, I realize now that the night I made this contract was so long ago. It was stupid of me to think I could control you and make you marry me." Ino answered, as she looked down and started smoothing out the wrinkles in her kimono.

"I'm glad you think that way," Shikamaru said with a sigh of relief. "I mean, that was just some stupid childhood thing right?"

His words cut deep into her heart. She begged him in her mind to stop. Just to walk away and leave her to be sad, but he continuted.

"I'm surprised it lasted ten years. But I'm glad you feel that way. Now we can just be friends again. Forget that stupid night ten years ago."

She loved that night.

"I mean it was no big deal. The dog wouldn't have acctually killed us."

She still had a scar on her elbow from where the dog bit her, but she always kept it covered.

"From now on we can put it all behind us and forget everything. Thanks Ino." He said with a smile, oblivious that everything he said, everything he did, was causing her extreame pain.

"Yeah," she answered with her best attempt at a smile. "It was stupid. Well, I'll see you around." She turned from the alley heartbroken. She started to stumble blindly through the streets back towards her house. She heard Shikamaru was off in the opisite direction. For some reason, his footsteps seemed to stand out from everyone elses'. The bam, bam, bam, continuesly, non-stop, echoed in her mind. She quickened her pace and accedeintly ran into someone, causing her to fall back. She gave a squeak in surprise and looked up at the man she had run into.

It was her good friend and ex-teammate Chouji. He smiled down at her, in his own wonderfly made Kimono. "Ah Ino," he said with a happy smile. "Where are you off to in such a hurry?" he asked, as he helped the hertbroken girl to her feet.

"Home," she answered with a squeak.

"Why? the night's only begun," she nodded in understanding, not trusting her voice. "You know this festival only comes around every five years. You've been talking about it for the last two months."

"I know," Ino answered, but before Chouji could ask another question, she slipped past him and disapeared into the crowd, wanting to head back into the solitary confinement of her house.

* * *

**A/N:** Acctually, now that I've read this, I might make it into a two shot, or make it into a longer story statring from this. Well, I'm going to leave it up to the reveiwers, if you want me to keep in as a oneshot, make it into a twoshot, or a longer story, please reveiw and let me know, because it's all good to me. 


	2. Of Confident Tears

**A/N:** Wow! I'm impressed! So many reviews in such a short time! I want to thank you all for your support, and I think I'll make this into a long story from Ino's perspective. W00t for that. Hey, I might write another one where it's in Shikamaru's perspective? Huh? Huh? You guys like that idea?

**Summary: **All those years ago, six-year-old Ino and Shikamaru made a contract together. Ten years later, when the contract is broken, how will Ino react? And how will Shikamaru? ShikaIno

**Broken Contract**

Ino stumbled home. All the way there she could hear the laughter of children and the chatter of couples. She just wanted to get home and soak into the darkness of her home. Once she reached it, she pulled out her key and opened the door, stumbling into the blackness. She flicked a switch and the room flooded with light. She sighed and headed up the stairs and straight into her room, where she collapsed onto her pillow and started to sob.

She cried for a long time, but finally she looked up from her pillow and got to her feet. It seemed as though some magic force was controlling her because she did not want to do anything but cry at the moment. She opened a drawer on her dressed and dug through different clothes until she came to a small box that looked like it was one hundread years old.

The box was small enough to fit into her hand and that's what she liked about it. She carefully brought it back to her bed and sat down, opening it with comeplete care. As soon as ther box was opened a small tinkling sound came out. It was a small lullaby that she used to fall asleep with. It was the Yamanaka family airlum and she loved it.

Inside the small box though, was what really caught her attention. A small crumpled up peice of paper sat inside the box, as soon as Ino pulled it out, the music grew a tiny bit louder, no longer muffled by the paper.

She set the box down, the music still playing, as she opened the paper. Inside, scribbed in her father's handwriting was "contract between Nara Shikamaru and Yamanaka Ino" It went on about what he had to do for her and such. The last line said that the only way for the contract to be broken, was if Ino wished it to be. Then under it, in six-year-old writing was her name signed, next to Shikamaru's.

_"Ino! What're you doing!" Shikamaru yelled. "We have enough apples as it is!" Ino was high in the apple tree in Shikamaru's backyard, reaching out to a large, red, juicy apple. _

_"Just... one more!" She said, trying despretely to reach it. She was high up and if she moved any closer the branch would snap. _

_"Come down!" Shikamaru yelled again, looking up at the blonde in concern. _

_Ino's hand then grasped the apple. "Got it!" She exclaimed, before the branch gave way and she started to fall. She let out a screech at her incomming doom as Shikamaru cursed. He ran under directly where she was going to fall, and prepared to catch her. He saw ninja do this all the time, it wasn't impossable. _

_The nine-year-old boy obvestly didn't expect gravity to be so strong as he caught the girl, the two hit the ground hard. Ino was lying painfully atop him, while Shikamaru seemed very dazed under her. _

_"Shika-kun!" She exclaimed, getting off of him. He groaned and sat up, clutching his head painfully where he was sure he had cracked it on a rock. He looked over at her dizzily and blinked to clear his vision. _

_"Can we go back now?" he asked. Ino laughed, nodding her head enthusiasticly. The boy tried to get to his feet, but fell back down in pain. _

_"What's wrong?' Ino asked, looking over from picking up the apples. Shikamaru tapped his ankle and winced from the pain. _

_"I think I hurt my ankle." He muttered. Ino dropped the apples and stuck the big, red, juicy one in her dress pocket, before walking over to Shikamaru. She bent down next to him, and studdied it, as if trying to see if it was truely injered. She then grabbed his arm and placed it over her shoulder, helping the boy to his feet. _

_"Common, we'd better get you back to the house." She said as she helped him slowly start to walk back towards the Nara house. _

_"What about the apples?" Shikamaru asked, looking over at the tones of apples they were forgetting. _

_"They're just apples," Ino replied with a scoff. "Besides, now I feel like Banana and Mushroom pie!" She said enthusiastuicly. _

_Shikamaru sighed. "I really don't think my mother knows how to make banana and mushroom pie..." he mumbled. _

_"I'll teach her then!" Ino replied as the house appeared in the distance. _

_"Acctually," Shikamaru continuted. 'I don't think anyone knows how, because I don't think it exists." _

_Ino smiled. 'Oh my dear Shika-kun, it exists." When they entered the house, Shikamaru's mother fussed over him, making him sit at the kitchen table while she ran off to find some disinfectant for his ankle. _

_Shikamaru sighed. 'I know we have bananas... I'm not sure about mushrooms..." Ino quickly pulled the apple from her pocket and handed it to him wth a bright smile. Shikamaru looked at it with confusion. "That's your apple..." he mumbled. _

_"Yeah, I want you to have it." Ino said with a nod. _

_"No. You wanted it. You keep it." Shikamaru said, pushing it back into her hands. _

_"Just take it!" _

_"I don't want it!" _

_Ino pushed it into his hands with a huff. "Just think of it as a get well soon present. Geez, why are men so stubborn?" She asked as Shikamaru's mother came back into the room._

Ino smiled delightfully and got to her feet, she looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her face was stained with tears. Her hair was a mess but she couldn't be more confident.

"I am Yamanaka Ino," she told her reflection. "And I'm gonna show Shikamaru, and everyone else, that I can't be hurt that easily." She unclipped her hair and let it fall down onto her shoulders. She started to run a brush through her soft hair as tears started to build up in her eyes again. After she finished brushing her hair, she quickly wipped her eyes. "O-ok... maybe... I can show Shikamaru later..."

She disapeared into the bathroom and washed her face, washing away all the sadness and tears. When she gazed up at her reflection, patting dry her slightly tanned skin, the tear streaks were gone, and her eyes seemed less bloodshot, and she was quite happy about that. She brushed her hair again quickly, before reclipping up her hair.

"I'll go find Naruto and Sakura, I should have a fun time with them..." She mumbled to herself, and hoped to god that she didn't see Shikamaru or Temari.

She finished up and left the house, walking through the crowded streets with a smile. It took a good twenty minutes, but finally, She found Sakura in a crowd, watching the ramen eating contest. Naruto was competeing, along with Chouji, Kiba, and a few others she didn't recognise.

Ino already started cheering up as Sakura cheered wildly for Naruto, while Ino cheerd for Chouji. It seemed to last forever, one of the othe men Ino didn't know was the first to stop, then another of the unknown men. Kiba finally had enough and ran off somewhere to puke up what he had finished eating. The contest was down to Chouji, Naruto, and another fat man that a lot of people seemed to be cheering for.

Finally, Chouji leaned back in his chair, satisfied with twenty-seven bowls of ramen. Ino figured he was only in it for the free food. Naruto went to thirty-two before he finally was full. The other man won, as he was barely able to finish his thirty-third bowl, he looked about ready to throw it all up. When Naruto and Chouji came down from the small stage, Sakura and Ino went to congratulate them.

"Damn, if I knew he was only going to thirty-three, I could've managed another two bowls." Naruto said with a smile.

"It's amazing how much ramen you can eat," Chouji commented.

"I think you guys made a few people sick in the audience." Ino laughed, as the four started to head off to the game area. Sakura had said she wanted Naruto to win her a big teddy bear.

"Just wait 'till next time!" Naruto said ennthusiasticly. "I won't eat for a week! Then I'll win for sure!" Sakura grabbed him by the ear with a growl.

"Oh you'll eat all right. I won't have you starving to death just because of that stupid contest." Chouji laughed and smacked Naruto on the back.

"I can't wait to see it. Five years is way too far away." Sakura fell in step with Ino, who's eyes were downcast. Sakura and Ino had become friends again after Sasuke left, and were closer then ever.

"Hey, are you alright?" Ino looked up at her and nodded.

"I'm just thinking." Ino assursed her with a small smile.

"Where's Shikamaru? I thought this was going to be your big night." Sakura lowered her voice to a whisper, and glanced over her shoulder at the boys who were starting to wonder what they were talking about.

Ino's eyes flickered with sadness, and Sakura immediatly knew something was wrong. She grabbed her friend by the wrist and started to head for a nearby cafe.

"Where're yoiu going!" Naruto shouted.

"Girltalk." Sakura answered, Naruto pushed through the crowds, trying to get close enough to them to talk.

"What're we supposed to do!" He demanded. Sakura pushed Ino into the cafe and turned to look at her boyfriend with a cheep smile you would've seen on a barbie doll.

"Go win me a teddy bear, what else?" She then slipped inside. Naruto and Chouji both agreed that they should stay away from places that sold any kind of food, Cafe's included. So they turned and tried to find a game that had the biggest teddy bears at which they could blow all their money at.

Sakura brought two cups of coffee to the small table Ino was seated at. She placed one down in front of her and cupped her hands around her own warm cup. "Ok Ino, tell me what's going on..."

Ino looked down into the black abyss of her coffee. She stared at her expression and watched the dark water sway slightly. Finally she looked up at Sakura with a weak smile. "It's nothing to worry about," she replied.

"But-"

"Shikamaru is simply out with a girl he loves, and I'm perfectly fine with that." Ino replied, completely surprising both herself and Sakura at her calmness.

"Ino, why is he out with someone else? You two are dating." Sakura said almost ergently. Ino brought the warm cup to her lips and quickly drank down one third of it in nearly a gulp. The hot liquid brought tears to her eyes, but she wipped them away with the sleeve of her kimono.

"We're not dating anymore." Ino replied, causing Sakura's heart to twist and turn with sadness.

"I'm so sorry Ino..." She mumbled, as she stirred her coffee with a small stick.

"It's all right... I guess... things are just better this way..." Ino mumbled, as she gazed down at her reflection in the coffee. Even though her hair was done up pretty her face clean, she still looked like she had been crying. Ino wondered if she would ever return to her old self. She highly doubted it. The Yamanaka girl gazed down at the small, gold ring on her finger, as she started twisted and twirling it, staring down at the small ingravement on it. "I wonder... if we were ever really meant to be..."

_"Happy birthday Shika-kun!" Ino said happily, as she sat next to him on his favorite hillside. Shikamaru looked over at her and blinked a few times. _

_"It's my birthday?' He asked. 'What day is it?" _

_"September twenty-second. Your birthday." Ino said, she then smiled slightly. "Did you forget your own birthday?' _

_"No, I just thought it was the twentith." The Nara boy replied, as he turned his gaze back up at the white tuffs that floated along they sky. _

_"Well," Ino said impaitently, shoving a small box into his hands. "Open it."_

_"Now?" _

_"Yes now I spent a lot of money on that!" She snapped. Shikamaru looked down at the boy and smiled slightly. He slowly ripped the wrapping paper to reveal a ring case. Shikamaru cast a suspicious glance at Ino, before openeing the box. _

_A gold ring sat in the box, as Shikamaru took it out, he inspected it. "Is this an engagement ring? I thought we were getting married at eighteen or something..." he frowned. "I'm only thirteen" _

_"No, no, no," Ino said, as she pointed at a small engravement. "It's just a birthday present." Shikamaru looked closely at the small band, and spotted "Happpy birthday Nara boy" written on the side. He then cracked a small smile. _

_"See," Ino said, holding up her hand to reveal an identicle gold band on her finger. "They're twins. It's supposed to keep both people safe and draw them together when they're apart." Ino said with a smile. _

_Shikamaru slipped the ring on his finger then glanced over at Ino. It suddenly hit him that her birthday was directly after his and he cursed. "What's wrong?" Ino asked as Shikamaru got to his feet. _

_"I have..store!" he said in a panic. _

_"Sit down," Ino ordered, pulling the Nara boy back down into the grass. "I don't need anything. For my birthday, I just want to sit here and watch the clouds with you." _

_Shikamaru blinked. That was so out of character for Ino. "Really?" _

_"Yes," she said as she laid back in the rather tall grass. "Besides, my dad is buying my a giant present, and throwing a big bash, so I don't need anything." _

_Shikamaru laid back into the cool grass and watched the clouds go by. He watched the white tuffs float carelessly across the sky and smiled slightly. _

_"Hey Shikamaru?" Ino whispered, hidden well by the tall grass. _

_"Yeah?" Shikamaru whispered back. _

_"Happy birthday." _

_---_

_Inoshi answered the door the next day, to find Shikamaru holding a present with a scowl on his face. "Is Ino here?" He asked. Inoshi nodded and backed inside, calling his daughter down from her room. She came thundering down the stairs, followed by her mother who was carrying a hairbrush and was muttering things about having to finish her hair for the party. _

_When Ino saw Shikamaru, she smiled. "Hey Shika-kun, wher're you doing here?" she asked, leaning on the railing of her stairs. _

_"Happy birthday," Shikamaru said, as he held out a horribly wrapped present. Ino took it with a bright smile. _

_"Oh Shikamaru you shouldn't have." Ino said as she inspected it. _

_"Well," Shikamaru said. "If you don't want it, I can always take it-" _

_"No!" Ino demanded. "I love it, really." Slowly, she started tearing at the wrapper, until she completely opened it, then gasped. A small china doll wearing a red kimono sitting on her knees, holding a fan to shyly cover her face. Ino looked up at Shikamaru who was scratching the back of his head. _

_"I couldn't get you the one you wanted... this was all I could affor-" he was cut off as Ino wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a tight hug. _

_"Thank you Shikamaru... this is the best present a girl could ask for." Shikamaru let out a small "heh", glad that he had made her so happy. _

"Yeah," Ino said as she removed the ring and placed it in her small purse. "We're better off this way." She got to her feet and headed for the door, where Naruto was standing with a giant teddy bear, trying to squeeze it through the cafe door. Sakura sighed and got to her feet, following after her friend.

* * *

**A/N:** Ok, don't expect Ino and Shikamaru to just jump back together like magnents, they're going to have to go through a lot to be together again... if they are together again? o.O Ooooh... anyway, this chapter was ok, but I think Ino's acting a little OOC, I'll have to fix that. Also, the thing about Shikamaru's backyard being so big, was because they own a deer farm, and that's what I was refering to. Anyway, please tell me what you think of this, I'm happy to hear anything and everything. 


	3. Of Devious Plans

**A/N: **I noticed no one told me what they thought about my idea for the whole Shikamaru's side story. (glare)

**Summary:**All those years ago, six-year-old Ino and Shikamaru made a contract together. Ten years later, when the contract is broken, how will Ino react? And how will Shikamaru? ShikaIno

**Broken Contract **

Naruto had unfortunately blown all his money on Sakura, who had repeatedly brought him this way and that, commenting on how pretty this was, or how much she'd love that. So Chouji ended up buying dinner for the girls. Both of the boys were still rather full from the contest. The four of them sat down on the grassy hillside, surrounded by many others, who had all assembled to watch the fireworks.

Ino looked up at the darkening sky, and sighed. This was supposed to be a special night, and though she would never admit why, she was quite saddened. The girl sighed and glanced over at the other three accompanying her. Sakura was admiring a bracelet, and Naruto was crying to Chouji about how he was going to be in debt for the next ten years.

She closed her eyes for a moment, and was surprised by how tired she was. Perhaps it was the walking. The Yamanaka girl rejoiced in the silence, before Chouji's voice caused her eyes to snap open in fear.

"Hey, It's Temari and Shikamaru."

Ino glanced over her shoulder and sure enough, the duo was headed towards them. Ino could hear her heart pounding in her ears, fear running through her veins. They couldn't sit here. They wouldn't. But as Chouji yelled, it caused Temari's attention to snap over to them. As soon as she spotted Ino, she said something to Shikamaru and the two walked over to the small blanket they were seated on.

"Ah, hello you guys. Mind if we sit here?" Temari asked, her eyes scanning over the group until her eyes locked with Ino's. She could see the woman laughing at her, taunting her. Daring her. Sakura's eyes snapped over to Ino, wide and fearful.

But before she could object, Naruto barged in. "Sure!" he said. "The fireworks are about to start anyway!"

Ino got to her feet, and smiled at the two. Deliberately avoiding Shikamaru's eyes. "I'll be back soon, I'm just going to buy some sparklers." She said as she turned on her heel and headed away from the group.

Temari smiled. "Hun? Pick me up one 'kay?"

Ino ground her teeth, but forced a smile. "Of course Temari." She said, then scurried off, as the fireworks illuminated the entire sky, and their attention was drawn away from the Yamanaka girl.

Ino walked back into town and headed for home. She hated Temari. No, She hated Temari with a passion. In her hate, the woman ran into someone, something she'd been doing a lot of lately. She looked up and spotted the familiar black hair she used to lust for.

"Sa-" the man covered her mouth and dragged her into a nearby alley. He stayed absolutely silent as six girls walked by, each asking themselves where their "date" had run off to.

As soon as they passed, he let her go. "Sorry," he said immediately, checking again to see if they were gone.

Ino smiled and crossed her arms, looking triumphant. "The famous Uchiha Sasuke has resorted to hiding from a pack of girls?" Ino asked, a taunt in her voice.

"You never saw me," Sasuke said threateningly, as he prepared to leave.

"Oh, but you see Sasuke-chan I did." He stopped dead and turned to face her, his eyes cold.

"You wouldn't dare."

"Try me."

The two stood, locked in a game of blackmail. Sasuke glared at her with his piercing black eyes, Ino returned the gaze with he icy blue orbs. Finally, Sasuke caved. "What do you want?" he asked.

"A date," Ino answered, the plan already wrapping itself around her brain. "We're going to start dating." Sasuke hesitated. Was it worth it?

"This would mean nothing?" Sasuke asked.

"Of course," Ino replied, crossing her arms. She had no desire for the man standing in front of her. "The Sasuke fanclub will back off, and I...get what I want." She said.

"What is it you want?' Sasuke asked, his curiosity spiked.

"None of your business!" She snapped. "Now is it a deal, or do I go and tell those girls back there where you are?"

Sasuke hesitated for a moment longer. "It's a deal."

Ino held out her hand and Sasuke shook it. Ino smiled.

"Alright. Meet me at the ramen shop at three. Don't eat lunch either. And bring money." Satisfied with herself, Ino turned from the alley and headed down the road. She smiled deliciously to herself.

Shikamaru wasn't the only one who could cook up a devious plan.

---

Ino stepped into the ramen stand the next day and smiled. Just as she thought. Naruto and Sakura were having their usual lunch after training. Good. She needed witnesses.

"Hello you two," Ino said brightly, as she took her seat next to Sakura. The pair turned their eyes over to her, and brightened.

"Hey Ino," Sakura said, the first to swallow her noodles. "Where were you last night? You disappeared.

"Oh that," Ino looked away shyly and forced a smile. "I ran into Sasuke-kun and he offered to take me out because I looked sad." She knew she could convince Naruto, but Sakura would be a bit harder.

"What?" The blonde haired boy cried. "No way! Sasuke hates girls. I secretly think he's-"

"What's that dobe?" Sasuke suddenly asked, standing behind the man, cracking his knuckles. Naruto started sweating. Oh yeah, he'd forgotten Sasuke had the ability to sneak up on people.

"Hiya Sasuke-kun," Ino chirped, a smile on her face. "Are you ready to eat?" Sasuke nodded, and the two took their seats.

Naruto made Sasuke lean in, and looked around suspiciously. "So...you're not gay?" A bowl flew across the table and smacked Naruto in the face, causing the boy to whine in pain.

"Of course Sasuke-kun is not gay!" Ino snapped, before forcing a blush to rise In her cheeks. "He's a real gentleman, right?" She asked. When he hesitated, she kicked him.

"Of course. Anything for Ino..." the words sounded tainted coming from his mouth. Naruto dropped his jaw, while Sakura started giggling.

"Aw, Sasuke-kun," Ino said, picking up his hand and locking his fingers with hers. "You're the sweetest man alive." Man she was a good actor; she was even starting to fool herself. Ino mentally thought that she should win an award for this.

The ramen arrived, and the two ate it, talking with Naruto and Sakura the whole time. Ino explained in full detail the night before, about how he had bumped into her as she was buying sparklers and the two watched the fireworks together. Sasuke merely stayed quiet.

Finally, the two got to their feet and started walking down the streets. Ino told Sasuke he had to buy her a gift for their "first date".

"Hold my hand," Ino hissed.

"No," Sasuke replied.

"I see a fangirl…" his hand snapped to hers almost immediately as one of Sasuke's fangirls headed down the street, she scowled at Ino and hurried off to tell the rest of the group members.

As the two headed down the street, Ino spotted Temari and Shikamaru. Temari was clinging to his arm as if it was her only means of life, and Shikamaru seemed like he was trying to make her let go.

It was then that their eyes met. If only for a second, or half a second. Black met blue, and the entire world around them crashed. Ino heard nothing, saw nothing. There was only Shikamaru, and herself. Then it ended, and the flood of sound came rushing back, as each continued on with their own dates.

"Ino, are you alright?" Sasuke asked, noticing her momentary disturbance.

Ino shook the thoughts away from her head, and smiled up at Sasuke. "I'm fine," she answered, then spotted something gold and shiny in the window behind him. "Oh! Sasuke-kun! Buy me that!" Sasuke rolled his eyes and followed, seeing how much money this would cost him.

---

Two weeks. She hadn't seen, or heard from Shikamaru in two long, dreadful weeks. Didn't he see her in the street that day with Sasuke? Wasn't he jealous at all? The first part of her plan was slowly going down the drain. No matter, she mused, she had expected this, and that was why she had created more to her plan then just that. She knew Shikamaru too well to know he'd get jealous over Sasuke.

The doorbell rang and Ino perked up. She turned from her pacing and headed for the door, and upon opening it, she was surprised to see Shikamaru standing there, with his hands in his pockets. Why was he here? Her mind went through a million questions, but she forced herself to be calm, and smiled. Perhaps her plan was simply coming through after all.

"We were supposed to meet for training." He said, and she blinked. Ok, maybe not.

"What?" She asked, confused by his outburst.

"Before the festival, we decided that you, me, and Chouji would train in the field today, because this was the only day we were all free." He said, rolling his eyes. He really didn't want to repeat this. It all suddenly came back to her, and Ino mentally cursed.

"I'm sorry Shikamaru, let me get dressed, and I'll meet you there." She said, looking down at her pajama bottoms and her tank top. She went to close the door, when Shikamaru put his foot in the way.

"Mind..." he trailed off, hesitating. "Mind if I come in and wait?" She looked a little stunned, but nodded and left the door open for him to find his own way in. He knew the house well enough after ten years. She turned and bolted up the stairs. She was quite surprised to find herself running, as she zipped around her room and grabbed her clothes, throwing them on.

She grabbed her hairbrush and pounded down the stairs, into the living room where Shikamaru was studying the china doll he had given her for her thirteenth birthday.

"I'll be ready in a minute," Ino said, a hairbrush in her mouth. "I just have to clean the dishes from the kitchen." She grabbed the brush from her mouth, and combed back her hair, quickly snapping it into a ponytail. She turned into the kitchen, which was essentially the same room as the living room, had her parents not installed a wall when she was five. There was a window in the wall, which made no sense to Ino whatsoever.

"Mind if I ask you something?" Shikamaru asked, inspecting the knickknacks her parents had collected over the years. "Sure," Ino said happily. It was slowly getting easier to talk to Shikamaru, although a lot of it was acting. She found it quite hard to stand practically in the same room as him. "Why him?"

Ino looked through the window, at Shikamaru's back. "What…do you mean?" she asked.

"Well," Shikamaru said, trying to find the right words. "I mean, the night of the festival, you said you hated Sasuke, and then, I saw you heading down the street with him hand-in-hand. So, why him?"

It then hit her, and she mentally cursed. She had no excuse! "Well," she started out. 'I got to know him better and it turned out he was a really nice guy... so he asked me out and I said yes." She said, trying to act shy.

Shikamaru turned to face her, an eyebrow raised. "Do you know what you're saying?" He asked.

"Yes," she snapped. "What's wrong with it?" He rolled his eyes and turned back to the mantel.

Silence engulfed the two as Ino washed the plates. Although, she was taking her sweet time doing it. "I was just thinking..." Shikamaru said, trailing off. Before he shook his head. 'Never mind."

Ino couldn't help but crack a devilish grin. Maybe her plan was working after all. The dim-witted Shikamaru had walked right into her web and now she had him trapped. "What is it Shikamaru?" She asked, in her sweetest tone possible.

"It's just…" he trailed off slightly. "I always thought Sasuke was gay."

Ino's smile immediately faded. Ok, maybe he was one step ahead of her after all. "Of course he's not gay!" She snapped. "He is dating me and we're very much in love!" She threw down the plate and was pretty sure she had smashed it. It didn't matter though; she was done playing this game. "Let's just go," she grumbled, heading for the door.

---

The walk to the training field had been really awkward. After that comment, Ino began grumbling to herself, while Shikamaru just stared off. Finally, they arrived, to find Chouji sitting on a large rock, enjoying a bag of chips. "It's about time you guys got here," he said, getting to his feet. "I was beginning to think you weren't coming."

Neither one replied. They just gave a grunt in acknowledgement, their heads turned away from each other.

"I was thinking we start with circle sparring." Chouji offered, hoping that one of them would respond with a full sentence.

"That sounds good," Ino said, as she turned Chouji and gave him a smile. "I need to blow off some steam." She entered the three meter round circle that had been drawn into the ground. She turned to face the two boys with a smirk. "Who'll it be?"

"Shikamaru!" Chouji said, pushing the boy in the ring. He turned around and whispered something to Chouji, who said something back and reluctantly, Shikamaru turned back to face Ino. This wasn't a bad thing, Ino decided. She could take all of her anger out on Shikamaru. The kunoichi tossed a kunai from one hand to the other. Yup, this would be just great.

"First one to be thrown from the circle loses." Chouji said. "Begin!"

As always, Ino was the first to move. She pulled out two shuriken, one in each hand, and threw one at Shikamaru. He dodged, which was just what she wanted him to do. She aimed a kick at him, and he blocked. The two then became locked in a blocking-striking battle. Finally, the two broke apart for a moment, huffing and puffing.

"What's got you in such a bad mood?" Shikamaru asked, after a short break.

"Take a wild... guess!" Ino shouted, as she attempted to kick him in the stomach. He grabbed her foot, keeping her from moving.

"What did I do?" he demanded, knowing that it was always him that made her temper spark.

"I'm surprised you don't know!" She snapped, as she threw the shuriken at him. He had to drop her, to avoid it, and she got back to her feet, ready to strike again.

"Why are you getting mad at me? I don't think I've done anything to make you angry!" Shikamaru shouted, as he pulled out eight shuriken, with wires tied to each one, and threw them, so they circled around Ino.

On reflex, Ino pulled out several kunai and threw them at the shuriken, causing their path to be intercepted. "That's a laugh! You haven't done anything wrong? You have done so many things wrong that it's impossible to list them all down!"

"What if you've done something wrong? Don't you care about that?" he snapped, as he aimed a punch at her stomach. "I bet you think you're so perfect! You've never even considered that!"

Ino dodged him punch with a snarl. "I am not perfect!" She snapped, aiming at his head. He caught it and she twisted, to kick him with her other leg, but he dropped her beforehand.

"You certainly act like it!" Shikamaru growled.

"You're always saying the wrong things!' She yelled. "And yet you never seem to care!"

The fighting had certainly stopped, all it seemed they were doing was screaming at each other.

"Ino! My life was better before you came into it! I wish you would just leave me alone, and never come back!" Ino stopped. That comment hit home. She could do nothing to stop the angry tears that blurred her vision, as she turned on her heel and ran home.

No one found they could say anything to that.

* * *

**A/N: **I think I fixed Ino's OOCness, but now Shikamaru's starting to act OOC. Arg, this character thing is hard. I don't mind this chapter, it's ok, I can't really complain. Thank you to all my wonderful reveiwers. You guys keep me so happy. I didn't think this story would become so popular. Thank you for reading, even if you didn't review, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. 


	4. Of Rose Petals

**A/N:** We're on the 40 review mark! Party down! I wonder if we can make it to 100?

**Summary: **All those years ago, six-year-old Ino and Shikamaru made a contract together. Ten years later, when the contract is broken, how will Ino react? And how will Shikamaru? ShikaIno

**Broken Contract**

Ino ran blindly. She didn't care where she was going. It didn't really matter. Shikamaru's words bounced in the back of her mind.

_"My life was better without you! I wish you would leave and never come back!"_

Blinded by sadness and anger, the girl followed wherever her feet would take her. How could he say something like that? Shikamaru... the name brought up such anger in her heart. She wished... she wished... the young woman heaved a sigh. If she could wish for anything, she'd want everything to go back to the way they used to be, not like they were now. Things… were just so different now.

When Ino snapped out of her emotions, she found herself on the doorstep of Uchiha Sasuke. Ino hated crying alone. Often, when Sasuke had rejected her in the most horrid of ways, back when they were young, she had often gone to cry on Shikamaru's shoulder.

She now found it ironic that the situation was the complete opposite.

Trying to swallow her sobs, the girl pounded loudly on the door. She wanted him to answer. She needed to cry and wail and have someone tell her it was okay. Finally, after what seemed like endless minutes, the door opened, to reveal a very confused looking Sasuke. He was wearing a light shirt, and pants. And looked as though he had been training recently.

"Ino?"

She threw herself into his chest and started sobbing. She didn't care what he, or anyone else thought, she needed to cry. And at the moment, he was the only stable shoulder she could really cry on. So that's exactly what she did.

"Ino? What's wrong?" he asked, quite alarmed by the whole intrusion.

It took her a minute to calm her sobs enough so he could understand what she was saying. "Ca...can I come in?" she asked, gripping his shirt in her balled fists, her head on his shoulder.

Sasuke didn't think he had much of a choice.

---

"So that's what happened..."

Sasuke placed a cup of steaming tea in her frigid hands. It took Ino a long time to calm down, enough to tell Sasuke what had happened. Then, it only caused new tears to grow. Sasuke sighed. He was not good with comforting people. The last girl that had cried to him was Sakura. And he had repaid her by knocking her out.

Ino took in a shaky breath and looked up to Sasuke. "I... I'm sorry about all this..." she whispered. "It's just..." her eyes started to glimmer with unshed tears.

"It's alright!" Sasuke cut in before she could start crying again. "I wasn't doing anything important anyway."

Ino lifted the cup to her mouth and sipped it soundlessly, her eyes crossed, watching the clear liquid drain into her mouth.

"You were using me for him," Ino swallowed, looking at him in alarm, as she placed the cup down.

"How did you..."

"Oh come on," Sasuke said, looking up at her. "It would take a complete and total moron to miss it. I believe even Naruto knows by now, Sakura probably spelled it out for him."

There was a long and dreadful pause. Ino wasn't exactly sure of what to say to him. What could she say? Her hands tightened around the warm cup, her eyes tracing the patterns on the wooden table. Finally, she spared a glance up at him. Their eyes locked, as Ino found that she couldn't look away from his accusing glare. Deep within his eyes, she saw the hurt of being used to get back at Shikamaru, she thought of what he had been through all his life, and immediately felt a painful stab of guilt.

"It's no doubt Shikamaru knows what you're up to," he said, pulling his charcoal eyes away. "Considering his high intelligence, I bet that he was the first one who knew what was going on."

She knew that he was right. It wasn't going to work. It was on a desperate hope, and an angry thought, that the plan was created, and clearly, it was going downhill fast. Everything was crashing down around her. She felt as though she was locked in a burning building, and any minute a chunk of the ceiling could fall and crush her.

She just wanted this all to end.

Suddenly, an idea popped into her head. It was so simple, so why didn't she think of it before? The answer was staring at her directly in the face.

"I'd better get going," Ino said, as her eyes flickered over to the window. The skies had already grown dark.

"I'll walk you," Sasuke said, getting to his feet. When Ino went to object, he cut her off, "don't argue," he said. 'I'm doing this anyway."

The girl nodded and got to her feet, stumbling over to the door where she had pulled off her shoes. Sasuke pulled on his own and the two headed off into the night. They headed down the road in an uncomfortable silence, neither one sure of what to say. It had been a long day. Too long. Ino just wanted to go home, fall into her pillows, and sleep.

Ino was the first to find her voice. "I'm sorry," she said. She didn't need to say why.

"It's fine," Sasuke said. 'It's not like it matters anyway."

Silence managed to wrap itself around them again.

"I'll talk to Shikamaru tomorrow," Sasuke said, his eyes turned away from her, staring off into the dark abyss of the night. "Then maybe we can get this over with and I can get on with my life."

"No!" Ino snapped, unable to hide the fear in her voice. "You cannot tell him anything!" If Shikamaru knew that she was this miserable... she was far too proud to let him know he had put her in such a weakened state.

Sasuke remained silent for a moment, as if thinking. "All right," he said. He knew what it was like to have a secret that needed to be kept.

After what seemed like forever, they stopped at her door. She turned and gave him a smile. "Well," she said. 'Thank you for walking me home."

He grunted in reply, as he turned away so that he could head back towards his own house.

She smiled at his back, grateful that he had been there for her, and hadn't pushed her away. With a small sigh, she turned and stepped into the confinement of her house.

---

The Yamanaka girl stepped out of her house, locking the door behind her. She had promised her mother to work in the flower shop today, considering she had taken too much time off. She headed down the street at a slow run, wanting to get there, but not wanting to go on full speed. Once she got inside, her mother handed her an apron, and stepped into the back to get some well-needed gardening done.

Luckily for Ino, the flower business wasn't always full with people, so she got some time to sit with herself and think, or look around at the flowers and remind herself of all the good things.

The bell of the shop tinkled, as the door opened. Ino looked up from her book, and her face darkened. The blonde haired sand nin stepped into the shop, humming to herself, looking happy as can be as she stepped in and started looking at all the flowers.

Ino's fist clenched on the counter. She was here just to annoy her. She just knew it!

Temari picked up a single red rose and twirled it in her fingers. Carefully, and slowly, she walked over to the till and placed the money down. Purchasing the single flower. Ino's first thought was that she was going to give it to Shikamaru, but the girl was wrong. Oh so very wrong.

"Red rose. For true love," the sand nin mumbled, as she smelled the flower, leaning on the counter. She knew how much it annoyed Ino. "It suits both of us, don't you think?"

"What?" Ino demanded, her voice showing her anxiety and anger.

Slowly, Temari picked out three petals, and watched them flutter to the ground. "You love Shikamaru. Don't you?"

Ino grinded her teeth, but didn't answer.

Temari picked out more petals, and watched them flutter to the ground. "Shikamaru loves me though."

Ino glared at her.

"This would all but be poetic if I loved him back."

Ino bit her tongue to keep herself from yelling out loud. _"She's using him! What is wrong with her! I just want to rip her eyes out and-"_ Ino cut her thoughts off and put on a cheery smile. With all this practice, she could be a world famous actress.

"Temari. I advise you to leave, if you're done here." Ino said, her eyes twinkling with fake cheerfulness.

"I find it funny actually," she said, ignoring her completely. "The more and more I weave myself into this, the more I find it fun. Soon, Shikamaru will be so wrapped around my finger, that I will be able to break him with a single kiss." She blew petals from her hand, and they were sprawling all over the counter.

"What's wrong with you!" Ino hissed. She had had it with this woman! "Do you have anything better to do than to break up people's love lives!"

"Oh but my lovely Ino, this is what I do. I make, then break, relationships. I did the same to the couples in my village, I also did the same to my own family." She said with a small smirk. Ino's brows furred in confusion. Temari caught the look, twirling the rose in her hand. "Gaara and Hinata."

That was all she needed to say. Being Hinata's friend, she had heard of her trip to sand, but really never knew much of what happened. All she knew was that Hinata had come home heartbroken.

"You're a monster." Ino snapped. "I'm going to tell Shikamaru and he'll-"

"Do nothing," Temari interjected. "You two got into a fight, remember? He would take my word over yours any day." Temari let out a loud, an almost insane laugh. "You make this all too easy for me Ino."

Ino ground her teeth. She was right. Shikamaru would never believe her. Especially if Temari said something to him beforehand.

"Face it. Whatever you two had, it's over," Temari plucked the last of the petals off and watched them drift soundlessly to the floor. "You're nothing but a washed up, failure of a kunoichi."

Temari tossed the stem over her shoulder, and let it land soundlessly on the counter, right next to Ino's hand.

"Chow." And then Temari was gone.

Ino slammed her hand on the table, causing her hand to sting in pain. She placed her forehead to her fist and let out a sigh. "Idiot.." she whispered, so softly, so that not even the wind could hear.

---

Shikamaru grumbled, his hands in his pockets, glaring at the man in front of him. He had been put in front of the chuunin exams, _again_. Because Tsunade thought he'd done such a great job last year. So, he had a lot of work that needed to get done. Thus, being called out without being given a reason was quite troublesome.

"What do you want?" the Nara boy demanded the Uchiha Heir in front of him.

Sasuke crossed his arms, letting the wind play with his dark hair. "Have you talked to Ino?" he asked.

Shikamaru raised a confused eyebrow at this. Why was he asking? And since when did the Uchiha boy care? "No," he said slowly.

"Talk to her." The Uchiha demanded. 'Fix things between the two of you."

"Clearly, Ino doesn't want to fix things. So I'll leave her alone until she cools down and comes to her senses," Shikamaru said. "You don't poke an angry lion with a stick." He said. Actually, he knew it was his fault Ino was angry, but he pushed the guilty thought that followed away. He didn't need, or want to think about it. It was far too troublesome.

Shikamaru didn't even see the fist before it hit him.

Before he knew it, white-hot pain erupted from his cheek, and he was on the ground. He glared up at the Uchiha, who didn't even seem to have moved. He opened his piercing black eyes and glared at the Nara boy.

"She cried." He said simply. Shikamaru didn't show it, but he was slightly confused. Ino was too proud to show her tears to anyone besides him or Chouji. What he said must have really hurt her. "She cried on my shoulder for three hours." Sasuke heaved a sigh. "Talk to her. I will not be caught in this horrid love shamble between you, Ino, and that sand nin Temari."

With that, the dark haired boy turned on his heel and left a dumbfounded Shikamaru on the grass, clutching his throbbing face.

* * *

**A/N: **Hello all! I know, I said this story would be in Ino's point of veiwBut I just had to add the part at the end. I know this chapter is shorter then the others, I'll try to imporove on that for next chapter. I would love to thank all of my reveiwers, and my wonderfull beta reader. Because, as you all probably know, I can't spell to save my life. 


	5. Of Pens and Crumpled Paper

**Summary: **All those years ago, six-year-old Ino and Shikamaru made a contract together. Ten years later, when the contract is broken, how will Ino react? And how will Shikamaru? ShikaIno

**Broken Contract**

Once Ino had finished her shift, she grabbed her bag and headed out the door. She started to head down the road, thinking about what Temari had said to her earlier. Was she really that bad? Was she really going to do all those horrible things to Shikamaru? What would drive her to do something that horrible? The girl sighed as she listened to echoing of her footsteps in the near-empty street. Well, Shikamaru was the genius right? So he should be able to figure it out.

As the teenager headed towards home, she found herself thinking more and more about this. She kept imagining all these horrible things, and trying to tell herself that they wouldn't happen. The girl finally cursed to herself inwardly. Weather or not she and Shikamaru were mad at each other, weather or not he was dating a harpie, she was still his friend. And she was obliged to tell him the truth. Right?

The girl looked up and found herself in front of Shikamaru's doorstep. All this pondering about him made her feet wander over to his house. Well, she decided, maybe this was a sign. Yup. It definatly was. She was going to tell Shikamaru what Temari was up to, weather he liked it or not.

She stepped up to his doorstep, like she had so many times before. She hesitated, before knocking loudly on the wood. She heard fumbling inside, and finally, Shikamaru answered. He seemed puzzled by her appearence.

"Ino," he said, scratching the back of his head. "What are you doing here?"

Ino glanced behind her, before looking back up at him. "I wanted to apologize." She said. "Can I come in?"

"Sure," he said, moving to allow her entrance. She stepped inside, and glanced around at the same old house. The Nara's really didn't have much taste. Then again, she could say the same for her own parents. "Is there something else you wanted to talk about?" Shikamaru asked, causing Ino's attention to snap back over to him.

"Yes, um, it's about Temari." Ino said slowly. As if on cue, the blonde haired sand girl came out from the kitchen, carrying two cups of some sort of liquid.

"Heya Shika-chan. I'm back with-" she cut herself off when she spotted Ino. The corners of her lips twisted up into a devilish smirk. "Oh, Ino, what a lovely surprise."

Shikamaru seemed to ignore Temari. "What is it?" he asked, his dark charcol eyes staring straight into Ino's sky blue ones.

Ino shook her head. "It's nothing. Although, if you're free on saturday, I wouldn't mind training with you." Without waiting for his reply, she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "Stay on your guard," she hissed right next to his ear. "She's up to something." With that, she pulled away with a bright smile. "Well, I have to go, I'll see you Shikamaru. _Temari._" she added with a sickly sweet smile, before slipping from the house she had never felt more at home in.

She headed down the street again, but instead of heading towards home, she turned her feet towards the Hokage's office. If she was lucky, Tsunade would still be there, filing out papers. She really needed to get away, she really needed a mission. She headed inside, finding the normal ANBU standing in the corner. She headed towards the office labled "hokage". She knocked on the door and waited fro the muffled reply before entering.

Tsunade looked up from her work and smiled, getting to her feet. She was clearly happy for the distraction. "Ah, Ino, what brings you here?" She asked, as she left her work on the table and headed towards the teenager.

"Tsunade-sama, I would like to requst a mission." Ino said. She regretted momentarily what she was doing, but instantly brushed it aside. She had come too far to turn back now.

Tsunade noddded. "What kind of mission do you-"

" 'A'." Ino replied quickly, causing the smile to fade from Tsunade's face.

"An 'A' rank? Are you sure?" Tsunade asked, eyeing the chuunin in front of her.

"Yes." Ino answered without a moment's hesitation. The Hokage nodded, heading back over to her desk. As soon as she sat down, her happy facade all but slipped away, revealing a strikt and tired Hokage. She rumbled through her desk and pulled out a scroll, throwing it to the woman in front of her. Ino caught it, glancing momentarily over the side that was marked 'A'.

"I'll assume that's what you're seeking." The hokage said in a buissness like tone. "All the details of the mission are kept in that scroll. They leave tomorrow morning." Tsuande closed her brown eyes, resting her hands against her forehead. Ino silently went to leave, before Tsuande called out to her. "Ino," the blonde turned slowly, looking over at the Hokage. "Think about what you have before you go on this mission. There is a high chance of death, and it is perfectly all right to back out."

Ino didn't hesitate. "I will think about it." She said. "Thank you Tsunade-sama." When the Hokage didn't reply to her, she slipped silently from the room.

---

About five minutes after she had left, she commanded one of then ANBU in the back corner to find someone for he. The man had nodded and disapeared. She knew it was late and he was probably asleep, but she had to talk to him. About ten minutes after she had sent out the call, the man appeared in her room. She had been correct about one thing; he was not expecting to be called out this late at night. The man in front of her, dark hair and baggy pants, a loose top over his tanned skin looked as though he had just been rolled out of bed.

"You called, Hokage-sama?" the man asked, instantly snapping into a buissness like fashion, dispite his appearence.

Tsunade hesitated a moment. "I have added someone to your mission Seth," she said slowly. "Her name is Yamanaka Ino, and she is a chuunin."

The man named Seth was clearly not expecting that. "What?" He cried. "Tsunade-sama with all due respect, this is a stricktly-jounin level mission. What are you thinking?"

"That girl is looking for something. I trust she knows what she's getting herself into," the Hokage mused, rolling a pen between her fingers. "I want to make sure she comes back alive." Tsunade's voice instantly changed to a harsh tone, as she glared up at Seth with her deep brown eyes. "Do whatever you can to make sure that Yamanaka girl comes back. Injured? I doubt I could keep her from that. But she has to be breathing. Got that?"

Seth hesitated. "Tsunade-sama... I have several other jounin to keep my eyes on as well. So, things might be hard if-"

"And I want to make sure she doesn't know what I'm up to." the Hokage continued, as if he hadn't said anything. "Got that?" her tone was dark, almost threatening.

Seth nodded. "Understood, Hokage-sama."

---

Ino slumped down on her bed, looking over at the scroll in her hands. She was slightly afraid to open it, as if it would evaporate in her hands. It wasn't as though she was excited about the mission. No. Everything inside her was telling her to leave it. Drop it. Burn it! Just get rid of it. But she couldn't. Not this time.

Slowly, unsure, she opened the scroll. Unraveling it slowly, so she could read what was written. Her eyes widdened when it didn't explode or evaporate. Not like she thought it would of course... the girl brushed the thoughts away and started reading.

_Mission: #164-9 Intercept a Sound attack._

_Rank: A _

_Sound is attacking Sand and we have been asked for assistance. The object of this mission will be to intercedpt the attack and demolish their troupes. Hopefully, this will not mean war for Sand, Sound, and Leaf. The point of interception is drawn out on the map below. There will be a day and a half for traveling, so please come prepared. The leader for this mission will be Imino Seth. Please listen to what he says, and follow his strict orders. _

_This is a dangerous mission, and a lot of people will undoubtably die. Furthermore, the information in this scroll is strictly confidention. Realease any information and you will be forced to endure punishment. _

_The team will set out at exactly Five thirty on thursday April twenty-ninth. Anyone tardy will be left behind. No exceptions. _

Ino blew a strand of hair from her eyes, and rolled the scroll down further to find a map dran out, with a star for where the teams would intersect. She placed the scroll down and ran a hand through her hair that had, at some point, fallen out of her high pony-tail. At the moment, the Yamanaka girl wasn't concerned about her hair, and instead, simply turned to the desk in the corner.

She pushed the scrolls and crumpled up papers to the side, taking a seat with a sigh. She pulled a pen from a small jar and took out a peice of paper. It was likely she wouldn't be coming back, so just in case, it would be best to write a few farewell letters.

Who was she kidding? This mission would be the highest and most dangerous she had ever been on. She was not coming back. Well, the girl mused, at least not alive.

Ino found it strange that she thought that was funny.

It must have simply been the fear that was making it funny, the woman decided. She then pressed the pen to the paper, and got to work. She adressed two to her parents, one to each, explaning why she was doing this and that she was terribly sorry she left without saying goodbye, and that things were just better off this way. She adressed one to Naruto and Sakura, mostly to Sakura, explaning some of the same things. Mostly apologizing for her stupidity. There was one to Chouji, and another to Asuma-sensei, and she decided to do one for Sasuke, considering the man had been so nice to her recently.

Finally, she came to the last one. The one she had been dreading. The one she had put off to last. Shikamaru's. The girl spent fifteen minutes, trying to figure out what she would say to him. Finally, she pressed her pen to the paper, and started writing. After a moment, she tore the page from the desk and crumpled it, sending flying to the floor.

He had to be the hardest person to write to. The rest of them were easy, simple as pie. But, how do you say goodbye forever to someone who you love so dearly?

Ino gave an annoyed groan, throwing another bad letter to the floor. She leaned back in her chair, and gazed up at her dark ceiling. It was about early morning, glancing at her clock, she could see it was two thirty. Man. She didn't know it would take her this long to write letters.

Finally, the girl gave up. She couldn't write something long, and tear-jerking. So she decided to keep it plain and simple.

_Shikamaru_

_I have a reason for this. You wouldn't understand. Perhaps you and Temari were simply meant to be together. I hope you two are happy._

_-Ino_

The girl's brows furred in annoyance. Something was missing. She got to her feet and glanced asround her room. She spotted her purse and instantly knew what it was. She snatched it, and looked through it. Finally, her fingers rubbed over a golden band, and she snatched it from the depths of her purse, and returned to the desk.

_P.S._ She wrote. _Give the ring to Temari. Then you two can be together always._

With that, she picked up an envolope, placed the peice of paper inside, and then dropped in the ring. Hesisting, she licked it closed, then on the cover wrote; _Nara Shikamaru._

She then turned, grabbed her coat, and went to deliver it.

---

Ino yawned. She had only gotten about two hours of sleep last night. Maybe she should have just stuffed all those pretty words into one letter and be done with it. But oh no. There was no way she could do that. Opening her eyes, she aproched the gates. Through the darkness, she spotted a bunch of jounins standing around in silence, waiting for the time to go. As she aproched, she got a few odd stares from some of the sourounding men.

All of them emitted a powerful aura. Except for one man. He was shorter then the others. Having black hair that seemed wild and untammed. He wore a jounin outfit, and was smiling, talking to one of the other men. One things Ino noticed though, was that everyone there treated him with respect. He then glanced over at her, smiled to the other man, and headed towards her.

"You're Yamanaka Ino, correct?" He asked, extending his hand.

She nodded, shaking his hand. "Yes... how did you know?"

He smiled. It seemed so warm and inviting. Ino instantly felt as though she could be friends with this man. "Simple. You're the only girl on this team."

Ino glanced around a paled. She didn't like being the only girl on a team. She had learned things about men while being on Team Ten with Asuma, Chouji, and Shikamaru. Bad things.

"I'm Imino Seth. It's a pleasure to meet you," Seth said, bringing her back to reality. She turned to him and smiled, uneasy. Her stomach started turning. She was really starting to regret doing this.

"Are you okay?" Seth asked. "You seem a little pale."

"I'm fine." Ino assured, glancing around at the people standing around, tired, and waiting for five thirty to rear it's ugly head.

"You can back out any time you want." Seth whispered. "No one will know."

She turned suspicious blue eyes over to him. "No." she said strongly. Surprising herself slightly. "I'm here to stay."

He nodded, then checked down at his watch. "Well," he said a litle louder. "It's time." He then flashed her one last nervous smile, and turned back to the other men.

It was silent, at exactly Five thirty-nine. The team left Konoha, biding their final farewells to the village gates, before they slipped out, unoticed into the night.

Ino had never in her life, felt more sick.

* * *

**A/N:** This kinda seems like a filler to me. Dunno why. Anyway, I've decided to change around the storyline a bit. Nothing that will effect what I've prevously written, of course, but I've changed around my ending, so therefore, I CANNOT do this all in Ino's point of veiw. There will be more Shikamaru POV and other such characters. Just to clear this up now.

Once more, I would like to say thank you to everyone. You're all marvoulous. I wish I could give you all awards for simply reading my story. That'd be...kinda weird acctually. o.O Anyway, Until next time.


	6. Of Bloodied Kunai's and Stained Hands

**Summary:** All those years ago, six-year-old Ino and Shikamaru made a contract together. Ten years later, when the contract is broken, how will Ino react? And how will Shikamaru? ShikaIno

**Broken Contract**

It must have been hours, and most likely was. Simply running, running, running, running. She had no one to talk to. No one was talking. They all stared ahead, with a serious look on their faces. A stern, somewhat dreadful look in their eyes. She was pale. She had been on serious missions of course. She was a chuunin, and was not unframiliar to death. But this was way over her head. Normally, if she was scared, she would have her friends along side her. Most likely Chouji and Shikamaru, or Asuma. But now, she was all alone, and that thought alone made her feel queasy.

One part that made her so uneasy was that she was clearly unfit for this mission. She was under these people in rank, and probably the weakest there. Ino was no pushover, but these men... were so powerful they seemed scary.

Some men stopped ahead of her, causing her to stop as well. Were they here? Already? The scroll said a day and a half of traveling. People started dropping through the branches, and Ino couldn't help the dumblfounded look on her face.

"It's lunchtime!" chirped a creepily framiliar voice. Ino, being tense at the time, gave a small shreik and twisted around. Seth gave a wave a small grin on his face. "Do you want to eat with me? I know you probably don't know anyone else on this team, and they're not exactly the most friednly." He added spitefully.

Ino had to calm her rapidly beating heart, and nodded. The two dropped through the trees, to a spot where a fire was already lit. Two men, a very tall man and a rather short one sat. The taller of the men, had dark hair and a rather square face, where as the little one, had bright blonde hair and looked like, a child.

Ino blinked. Were children allowed on this mission? He looked no older then ten.

"Ino, this is Hyre," Seth said, signalling to the larger man, "and of course Mikustu." The blonde haired boy gave a wave. "They're good friends of mine. Boys, this is Yamanaka Ino."

Ino looked between Mikustu, who was already getting ready to eat, and Seth. "Um..." She said, unsure how to phrase this.

Seth blinked. "Something wrong?"

"Are children allowed on this mission?" She asked, rather quietly. This comment, of course, caused Seth to burst out laughing.

Unfourtunatly for everyone in the area, Mikustu had overheard her comment. "Who are you calling short!" He demanded, instantly angered. "I'll beat you to a bloody pulp I will! I'll show you who's short you flat-chested barbaric excuse for a woman!" He snapped. Hyre, held him back, feeling slightly embaressed to call someone this short tempered a friend.

"Flat-chested?" Ino growled, as she flipped around to face him. "You're nothing but a tiny insignificent bean sprout!"

"Boar!"

"Runt!"

"You're the most pathetic excuse for a woman I have ever seen!"

"Oh what was that? You're so small I couldn't see you over the edge of my boot!"

"I am not small!" Finally, it semed as though Mikustu had calmed down. So Hyre let the jounin down. Big mistake. "I am verticly challenged!" He snapped.

Ino burst out laughing. "Verticly challenged means small! You're pretty stupid too!"

"Say that to my face you ugly boar-woman!"

Seth, laughing so hard that it seemed his sides would burst, wipped a small tear from his eye. "Okay you two, cool it." He said, able to catch his breath again. "You're going to alert everyone in the area that we're here. Miku-chan, for once, shut up and eat, and Ino-chan please refreain from using the 'S' word."

"I'll show you who'll shut up you fat, lazy, poor excuse for a jounin!" Mikustu snapped, rolling up his sleeves. Now that he was riealed up, it seemed nothing would calm him down.

Seth's eyes snapped open, he set a deathly glare over at the short jounin. "What was that?" He asked in a low, threatening tone.

And so, it began again.

"Fat!"

"Short!"

Ino sighed, taking a seat on an old fallen log, and watched the two jounin exchange insults. Hyre handed her a bowl of soup, sitting down next to her.

"Sorry if Miku-kun upset you." He said, as he started draining his own lunch. "He's like that sometimes."

Ino turned her sky blue eyes over to Miku and Seth. Seth picked up a rather large boulder, and Miku was gnawing on Seth's leg. "They're good friends, aren't they?" She asked, rather quiet.

"Yes," Hyre said. "We all are. Right back to gennin days."

"You three were a team?" Ino asked, diverting her attention to the other man next to her.

He simply nodded.

"You seem like you have a strong bond between you..." she said trailing off. "I hope you all come out safely."

Hyre nodded. "I know we will. We all will."

---

They were moving again. They had been for hours. They were drawing closer and closer to the target, Ino could feel it in her bones. Every step, every clunk on the branch, meant coming closer to her doom. A drop landed on her head, and she wondered what it was, before three more came with it. Before she knew it, it was raining, and quite heavily.

_"Perfect."_

She growled. She really didn't like the rain. She hated it. Just plain old fasion hated it. It was so cleche, not to meantion depressing, and to top it off you get soaked. Ino hated getting soaked. Although, it seemed this time it had meaning. Like that depressing ending to a sad story. It was a bad omen, and she knew it.

It started out with a cry, and then a spray of blood not far off. She flipped around, and with a battle cry, the battle began.

Weapons were flying everywhere. Justu after justu. People were dying all around her. The fear was firmly in place. She had not been spotted yet. It didnt occur to her they were still another day of traveling away from the interceting point. It didn't occur to her that people around her were dying. It didn't occur to her that she should be doing something. Her legs felt like jelly. She couldn't move, she couldn't speak. All she was, was afraid. She was terrified, and her mind was blank. She tried to think of something to do, but all she could think of doing was sitting there on the tree branch and screaming her lungs out.

A man dropped in front of her, with a kunai in hand and a sound headband slung lazily across his forehead. He grinned at her visciously, before he slumped to the ground. Dead. She looked up horrified as Mikustu landed in front of her. "Are you okay?" He asked. "Common, you have to move."

She nodded and got to her feet, pulling out a kunai. She could do this, it wasn't that hard. Her legs were jelly. She still couldn't move. The entire area was a blur.

"Move!" Mikustu suddenly yelled, shoving her out of the way. She plumeted through the branches, getting scratched and cut before she finally landed painfully on a branch. She looked up, fearful, as the branch she was on momentarily exploded.

"Miku.." she breathed, as she watched his body fall through the branches. He was clearly unconscious. "Mikustu!" She screetched, getting to her feet and running after him. She managed to catch him, before he hit the ground, landing soundlessly on a branch. Thankfully, he was light, due to his small size.

She turned to him, her eyes wide and fearful, he was unconscious, and burned pretty badly. "Mikustu! Are you okay! Answer me you little runt!" She yelled.

The jounin groaned. "Don't...call.. me short..." Ino visably relaxed, as she set him gently down on the branch.

"You rest here Miku, I'm going to fight." She said, her fear replaced with anger. She felt a pressance behind her, and flipped around, coming face to face with a man covered in forehead protectors. He had some from leaf, stone, sand, even some from sound. He grinned sickly, and with a quick slice, Ino's headband fell from her head and landed in his hand.

"Another to add to my collection, wouldn't you say deary?" He asked in a manic type of voice, before a kunai was rammed into her shoulder. She blinked at the pain, and looked down. The kunai had a bomb seal in it! She tried to rip it from her shoulder, but it seemed too deep. She was really going to die here! All her regrets came flooding back to her. How stupid she'd been.

The manic's laughter started to fill her ears, as the seal started to glow.

"Shikamaru..."

And then everything went black.

---

Nara Shikamaru opened the door to his house, slamming it closed behind him. The dreaded sounds of Temari and her training left his ears and he panted slightly. That girl gave him a killer headache. What he ever saw in her was beyond him. Unknown to the the dark haired Nara boy, the small letter in the crack of the door that had been placed there by a framiliar blonde drifted soundlesly to the ground. A small gust of wind kicked up, and the letter floated along the pourch then up into the sky.

Unfourtunatly, the teenager new nothing of Ino's decission and her letter, and so instead, started running down the street, trying to get away from his insane girlfriend. His heart pounded in his ears, his legs not used to the tourment. They had been given a two week vacation and didn't like the idea of cutting it short.

The boy rounded a corner, kicking up dirt with him, as he started heading down the new street. He ducted into an alley and breathed, sinking down to the ground below. He felt like he had to do something. It seemed as though something was lingering in the back of his mind. What day was it today? Saturday.. what did he have to do on Saturday?

As if someone had kicked him in the teeth, he bolted to his feet. "Ino!" He cried. "Man.. she's gonna be mad..." He quickly checked his watch. Five o'clock. Damnit. He was going to hear about this tomorrow.

"Nara Shikamaru!" a strong, framiliar voice barked. Instantly, he tensed.

"I can explain!" He said on reflex, not entirely sure who was standing behind him, but not sure he wanted to look.

"Boy, you look like someone has you on a short lesh." When the boy realized the voice didn't belong to Temari or Ino, he turned around to see the pink-haired girl, standing behind him giving him an odd look.

He placed on a scowl, realizing he had just embaressed himself in front of Sakura. "What do you want?" He asked, crossing his arms.

"Tsuande-sama wants to see you." She said with a shrug. "I'm not sure what it's about, but she said it was urgent and that you had to get there as soon as you could."

Unsure of what the old woman wanted, Shikamaru placed his hands in his pockets and stepped around Sakura, heading towards the Hokage's office. Did she mean to cut his vacation short? He had another day or so left. He wouldn't put it against her. Or perhaps she was giving him notice to a mission that started after his vacation. Shikamaru sighed, it was just like her to throw him back into work.

Finally, he came to stand in front of the Hokage's office. He glanced up at it with a grimmace. Now he wasn't sure he wanted to go inside. He stepped in a puddle, completely soaking his right leg. It had rained earlier, and the evedince was everywhere.

He knocked on her door, and when the muffled reply came, he stepped inside. The Hokage was seated on the edge of her desk, facing a man with deep black hair. He was soacked to the core, and looked as though he had come back from a mision.

_"Unlucky bastard must be getting a mission right when he gets back from one,"_ Shikamaru inwardly sighed. "Tsuande-sama." He said. "You called for me?"

The woman sighed. "Shikamaru, take a seat."

"It's not nessacary." The boy replied. "Just give me the mission scroll and I'll go."

Tsuande looked at the dark haired man and sighed. "Shikamaru. You know that recently Ino went on a mission?" She asked.

This caused Shikamaru's brows to furr together in confusion. "What kind of mission?" He asked, unsure of where the Hokage was going with this.

"This is Seth," Tsunade said. "He was the leader of the mission, so therefore, it is his right to tell you about it. Not mine."

Shikamaru crossed his arms, and turned his annoyed look to Seth, who sighed. "Yamanaka Ino was assigned to Mission # 164-9 Intercept a Sound attack Rank A," he paused, diverting his eyes momentarily. "She... died on the mission."

Shiamaru lost his footing, and stumbled backwards, his eyes wide. "No." He said. "Ino would've told me if she was going to go on such a mission."

"She didn't even tell her parents." Tsuande cut in.

"I'm sorry," Seth said.

Shikamaru scoffed. "You've clearly got something wrong...she couldn't have..." It just didn't sound right. Ino couldn't be dead! It wasn't true! It felt as though someone had shoved a kunai in his heart, twisted it, ripped it out, then shoved it back in.

Seth held out a headband, and Shikamaru accepted it with a shacky hand. "This was found in the possesion of her killer." He said softly. Shikamaru looked over the headband. It had a bloodstain on it, and looked pretty scratched up. He flipped it over in his finger, and in the corner, were the words. "Yamanaka Ino" stitched into the fabric.

"I'm sorry," Seth said again. "But she is, without a doubt, dead."

* * *

**A/N:** Now I feel evil. Don't you just hate me? I'll assure you that this is going to keep going. This is not the last chapter. I'm not sure how many more I'll have. Let's say a few. Well, I want to thank eveyone who reviewed, and of course my beta reader. 


	7. Of Forgotten Memories

**Broken Contract**

Shikamaru was stunned. Completely and totally stunned. It was only a few minutes after Seth left that his shock was replaced with anger. He turned from the office, bolting through the doors to follow the dark haired-jounin.

"Wait just one minute!" Shikamaru yelled, causing the older boy to stop. The Nara was angry; any idiot could see that.

"What do you want?" Seth asked, turning to face him.

"You can't be right!" Shikamaru said. "This could be... any Ino's headband! Do you even-"

"Now you're just acting stupid Shikamaru," Seth said, placing his hands in his pockets. "Face the facts, Ino is dead. Our sources aren't wrong."

Shikamaru grabbed Seth by the collar of his shirt, slamming him hard up against a nearby wall. "She is not dead," he hissed through clenched teeth.

Seth glared at him with emotionless eyes. "Shikamaru," he said rather calmly. "Do not take your anger out on me. Do not think you're the only one who lost someone out there." Seth pulled himself from Shikamaru's hold, still glaring at him with icy eyes. "This is the life of a shinobi. This is the life you chose. Don't throw a tantrum every time one of your friends dies." He added spitefully, before turning to continue his way.

Shikamaru's back hit the wall, and his knees buckled out beneath him. He slumped to the floor, intertwining his fingers with his hair. His hair band snapped off, releasing his dark hair and letting it sprawl across his face. He had never felt so low. He had never before in his life felt so horrible. The pain inside was too immense to explain in words.

He wanted to see Ino. He wanted to see her and then she'd laugh in his face, telling him it was nothing but a big joke. He wanted to sit next to her. To hear her yell at him. To order him to buy her things. He wanted to hear her talk about the festival, or go on about a new outfit. He wanted her to come to his door at three in the morning, just so she could cry on his shoulder. Anything to prove she wasn't dead, that she wasn't gone from his life.

As much as he tried to convince himself that what Seth said was true, and that he simply had to accept it and move on with his life, Shikamaru found that he couldn't even swallow the words. He told himself he had to be strong, but he couldn't. He simply let the tears roll down his face, and collect in a small puddle on the floor.

---

He headed for the morgue. He had to at least say goodbye. He wanted to. He had to say he was sorry. There were so many things he wanted to tell her; only, he wasn't sure how to put them in words. He didn't care anymore. He just had to get there, and say goodbye. That seemed to be the only thing he found he could put into words.

As he stopped in front of the morgue, he hesitated. The place had such a dreary aura, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to go inside. Finally, pushing all dread aside, he stepped in.

The place was relatively empty. There were a few people working there, and one or two people saying goodbye to loved ones. Shikamaru found the place oddly dim, but decided not to dwell on it. He stepped up to the reception desk, and cleared his throat softly to call the woman's attention. She seemed to be in her early twenties, and gave him a soft smile when she saw him. Just by looking at her he could tell the weight of this job was coming down hard on her.

"Can I help you?" she asked softly.

"Yes," Shikamaru said. "I'm looking for Yamanaka Ino."

The woman looked down in her records, and after a moment, a frown placed itself firmly on her features. "I'm sorry, but there's no Yamanaka Ino here. There is a funeral planned though." She said, looking back up at him.

"There's no body here..." he said with a frown. Then, as if someone had hit him on the head with a brick, his eyes jerked open wide. "Thank you." He said before tearing from the room and out the door.

He was on the streets within seconds, and racing desperately back toward his house. There was a high chance he was wrong, but he didn't care. He had to get home and get packed. Now that there was some dim light of hope, he had to find out for himself if he was right. If he didn't go out there and at least look, he would never forgive himself.

He raced home, and tore open the door, pounding up the stairs loudly. Temari looked up from her spot on the couch, and greeted him, but the boy was already up the stairs and into his room.

As Temari opened the door, a shirt flew past her. She frowned, then glanced over, finding Shikamaru ripping through his drawers, pulling clothes out and flailing them across the room. "Shika darling," Temari said as she carefully stepped into the room. "What are you doing?"

"Packing." Shikamaru replied. "I have to go look for someone."

Temari frowned as a few weapons flew past her face. "Who?"

"Ino." he replied as he crossed the room to throw everything he had in his bag.

Temari smirked slightly, but immediately covered it up with a frown. "Oh yes, I heard about her. She went off and killed herself. Very tragic." Shikamaru refused to reply. "So why do you have to go and look for her body?" Temari continued. "There are hunter nins that do that, aren't there?'

"This is something that I have to do." Shikamaru replied as he hoisted the bag onto his back.

Temari forced herself to frown. "So you'd rather go out and look for some dead girl than stay here with your girlfriend?" She barked.

Shikamaru shot her a deadly glare. "Ino isn't some 'dead girl' Temari, she's a dear friend of mine." He then turned on his heel, exiting the room and heading down towards the door.

Temari blinked, before quickly following. "Shikamaru!" Temari barked, realizing the man already had his shoes on and was standing by the door. Man, was he fast when he wanted to be. "If you walk out that door then it's over between us!" When Shikamaru hesitated, Temari smiled. Works every time.

"Goodbye Temari." Shikamaru said with a smile as he turned and walked right out the door.

---

Shikamaru headed down the street rather quickly. He hadn't run into any of his friends yet, and he was thankful for that. The last thing he wanted to do was have to explain what he was doing. He knew that this was stupid, and he also knew that it was partly dangerous. But he had to do it. If he didn't, god only knows what he would do.

He slipped past a couple that was talking loudly, and made his way towards the gate. He thought that he was essentially home free, before someone grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him around. Shikamaru frowned when he realized it was the dark haired-jounin Seth.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked. "Not planning on leaving the village without proper-"

"I'm going to find Ino." Shikamaru interjected, causing the man to pause.

Seth sighed, turning his back to him and running a hand through his hair. "Have you told the Hokage?" he asked.

Shikamaru hesitated.

"I'll take that as a no." He answered, turning back to face him. "Do you have any idea where you're going?"

"I don't suppose you'll tell me?" Shikamaru spat.

Seth rolled his eyes. "Do you have a blank scroll?"

---

Shikamaru was running. He was running fairly hard. He knew he shouldn't be going full out, he was simply going to waste all his chakra, but every time he slowed down, he kept speeding up again. The ground was still wet from the previous showers, and so his pants were already clocked in a thin layer of mud. He stopped for a moment, glancing around. Was he lost again? He grabbed the scroll from his back pocket and unraveled it, revealing a drawn out map.

_"Here's a map with a set of directions directing to the place where we were attacked. Run fast, and if anyone asks, I didn't help you." _

Shikamaru wondered momentarily why Seth had helped him. He was on patrol, wasn't he? It was his job to stop him. Well, it didn't matter. Right now, he had to find Ino. Dead or alive.

That thought caused a chill to run down his spine.

Shaking his head, the man turned to look down at his map, before heading out again.

---

The girl awoke with a groan. Her head was pounding like hell, but that was nothing in comparison to the pain running through the rest of her body. She opened her eyes, and as her vision came into focus, she found herself staring at a dark ceiling.

"You're awake now, aren't you?" came an old, unfamiliar voice.

"Where am I?" she asked, without turning to face the owner of the voice.

"My cottage. I found you half-dead not far away. You're lucky to be alive." the girl turned her head slowly to face the man who was speaking. He was old, seeming to be in his late sixties. He smiled, showing the many wrinkles on his face. His hair was gray and thinning, although he had a kind aura around him. "My name is Urik," he said. "Do you have a name, girl?" he asked softly.

She reached up and grabbed her head, entangling her fingers with her blonde hair. "I don't know… I can't... I can't remember anything..."

The man frowned. "That's not good." He mused. He stepped forwards, placing a hand on her forehead. "You must've hit your head pretty hard. You must have amnesia." He said sadly.

The blonde haired-girl frowned. "Amnesia? Does that mean...?"

"Yes. You probably won't be able to remember anything for some time." The girl bit her lip, casting her sky blue eyes downwards. "Don't worry," Urik said with a smile. "You can stay with me until you remember who you are."

The girl gave him a weak smile. "Thank you, Urik-san."

He smiled in return. "Well, if you're staying here, we should give you a temporary name, until you remember yours of course."

She nodded.

"How about… Mika?" he asked with a slight smile.

The blonde seemed thoughtful, before nodding. "I like it."

"Good," he said. "Now lay back. You need to rest. You've got some serious wounds there, Mika."

The girl fell back into the pillows, a soft smile on her lips. "You know what Urik-san? While I was asleep, I was dreaming of someone."

The old man raised an eyebrow. "Dreaming of someone?" he asked, the curiosity in him evident.

"Yes," she replied. "I can't make out his face, but he's tall, with dark hair."

"Maybe he's someone you knew." Urik replied. "Perhaps it's someone you loved."

The girl smiled as she started to drift away from consciousness. "Perhaps..."

---

Shikamaru found the site. It had been several hours of nonstop running, but he found it. The marks of the previous battle were everywhere. Trees blown away, burn marks, blood stains. Everything was there. But there were no clues as to where Ino had fought. As he carried on, he made sure to keep his senses open. He didn't need to be spotted.

He was kneeling next to a large, burned patch of grass when he heard voices. He quickly jumped to his feet, and hid behind a nearby tree.

"Is that all of them?"

"I think so."

Two men with hunter nin masks on their belts came into view. It seemed as though they were exhausted after a long day of work.

"Man that's annoying. Those bastards from Sound attack and we get stuck cleaning up," one of them groaned.

"Don't talk like that!" the other scolded. "People died here!"

"Yeah, yeah," the first mumbled.

Shikamaru breathed a sigh of relief. They didn't seem to notice him. He suddenly felt a chakra signal behind him, and he twisted around, coming face to face with another hunter nin. "What do you think you're doing out here?" he asked in a dark tone.

Shikamaru ground his teeth. "I was sent out here by Tsunade-sama to help with the uh... clean up." he lied. Hell, it wasn't very good, but it was all he had.

"Do you have the proper papers?" the man retorted.

Shit.

At Shikamaru's hesitation, the man grabbed him by the arm. "You'll be coming back to Konoha with us."

* * *

I'm really sorry this took so long! I know some of you out there were pretty close to hunting me down and forcing me to type it. But, I have a reason! Or, several. I had writers block and then when I wrote out the chapter it got deleated then I had to go to camp, anyway, it doesn't matter. Here it is. Enjoy.


	8. Of Welcomes Home

**Broken Contract **

**Chapter Eight**

The next three months were hard on everyone. Many couldn't accept the fact that Ino was really dead. She was the first to really die in their generation of ninja. The one that seemed the least effected by it was Shikamaru. He kept going as if there was nothing wrong with the fact that she was gone. Everyone who knew him though, knew he must have been grieving.

It was then that Inoshi asked Sakura, Naruto and Shikamaru to clean out Ino's room for him. He had a hard time coming to accept the fact that his daughter was dead, and he didn't have the heart to do it.

Sakura and Naruto were hesitant, but accepted. Shikamaru accepted without delay.

It was hard to clean out the room of their lost friend. Naruto tried to keep their spirits up with jokes, but after his efforts seemed fruitless, he remained quiet.

"Well," Sakura said as she stretched out her back. "It's easy to say I think we've got everything." She glanced momentarily around the room. The only things in the room was her bed, stripped of all blanket's sheets, and pillows, several boxes, and the old dresser Ino kept her private things in.

"Knowing Ino," Naruto said. "She's probably got another room inside her closet or something where she keeps all her clothes. We'll be up here for the rest of the month."

No one laughed at his apparent joke.

Shikamaru pulled open the top drawer of the dresser, to check and make sure they had everything, when his eyes caught a small brown box. Reaching inside, he carefully took it out.

"Hey Shikamaru!" Sakura said from the doorway. "We're going for lunch! Are you coming?" she asked.

Glancing up, Shikamaru shook his head. "I'll catch up later." he replied.

As soon as the two had left, he took a seat on her bare bed, and opened the small box. He was surprised to hear a soft lullaby, and found a small piece of paper inside. Carefully, he took it out and inspected it.

When he opened the paper, he frowned. It was the contract they had made all those years ago. He felt a wave of guilt pass over him, followed by a painful stab of sadness.

_"See, and you sign your name here." Inoshi instructed, looking down at the pair of six-year-olds next to him. Ino grabbed the pen and readily signed her name, before passing it to Shikamaru. The Nara accepted the pen, and wrote his name. "Now you're done," Inoshi proclaimed with a smile. _

_"Yay!" Ino cheered as she grabbed Shikamaru's hands and the two started spinning. "Now we're in a contract!" she cheered. _

_He couldn't help but smile. She looked so happy. "Yeah!" he said. "We are!" _

_She then released him and raced for the door. "Come on! Let's go out to the backyard!" She said before running outside. Shikamaru smiled and followed her. _

_As soon as they were outside, Ino urged him to play a game with her, but the Nara placed his hands in his pockets and took a seat on the ground. "Nah," he said. "Why don't we watch the clouds?" _

_She crossed her arms with a pout. "Nara Shikamaru. What's so fun about watching the clouds?" _

_"Come here," he said, as he gazed up at the small clouds that drifted aimlessly across the large blue palette. "I'll show you." _

_Ino crossed the yard, and took a seat next to him, before lying down on the grass all together. "What is it?" she asked after a while. _

_"Look at that cloud." He said, pointing up at a spot in the sky. "What does it look like?"_

_The Yamanaka had to squint. "Hey... is it a bunny?" _

_He nodded. "And that one?" _

_"It's a tea pot!" she exclaimed happily. _

_The two must have spent hours, lying in the grass. Shikamaru would point out a cloud, and Ino would tell him what it was. Finally, it seemed the two had slipped into a comfortable silence. Shikamaru closed his eyes, and almost drifted out of consciousness. _

_"Hey Shika?" Ino's voice pulled him out from his drowsiness. _

_"Yeah?" _

_"If we get married, will that make me Mrs. Nara?" she asked sweetly. _

_He nodded, despite the fact she couldn't see him. "Yup, that's how it works." He said. _

_"Mrs. Ino Nara," she mumbled. "I like it." The silence then grabbed them again. "Hey Shika?" _

_"What?" _

_"Promise me it'll always be like this." _

_Shikamaru hesitated. The logical part of his brain told him it couldn't be like that forever, but he ignored it. When Ino didn't press him for an answer, he sat up and looked over at her. The Yamanaka girl had already fallen asleep. _

_He smiled softly down at her. "I promise."_

---

Mika handed Urik his tea with a smile. "I made it the way you like it," she said, before turning back towards the small kitchen in the shack they were in.

"Thank you very much Mika-chan." He brought the tea to his lips and sipped softly, before smiling. "You have an amazing talent for cooking, do you know that?"

The blonde smiled meekly. "I'm no better then anyone else Urik-san." She replied, before taking a seat across the table from him. She gazed down at her hands momentarily, before looking up at him. "Urik-san, I have something to ask you."

The elderly man looked up at her. "What is is?" he asked.

"Since my wounds have healed now," she paused. "I would like to search for who I am."

Urik held a sad look to his eyes. "Dear girl, where would you start?"

"I've thought of that!" Mika chirped as she got to her feet, and scurried into the kitchen, hurrying back with a scroll. "Look, I found this in my possessions." she unrolled the scroll, and pointed to the map at the bottom. "Look here. It has a route marked where I was supposed to go. So if I follow it backwards," her finger trailed across the scroll, back to a large marked spot named 'Konohagakure'. "Then I bet someone here knows who I am!" she said, before looking back up at the man.

Urik hesitated. "I am an old man Mika-chan," he said, setting the teacup down on the table. "It was nice for a hermit like me to have a nice young woman around to cook and clean for him. And because of that, I don't want you to go alone. You could get hurt or worse."

Mika smiled softly. "No offense Urik-san, but if we were attacked, what could you do?"

"A lot more then you think," Urik replied. "But, if you're determined to go off on some wild goose chase, then, I shall accompany you."

Her eyes lit up delight. "Really Urik-san?"

He nodded. "Pack up your things. We leave for Konoha tomorrow morning."

---

Shikamaru stuck his hands in his pockets as he headed down the road. The past few months had been boring as hell. Thanks to his little "Escape" he wasn't permitted to leave Konoha for four months. Tsunade had ANBU keep tabs on him within the first few weeks as well. She understood what was going on, but it was protocol for any runaway.

Sure, it was nice to have his vacation extended, but it left him with a lot of time to think. Normally, it wasn't a bad thing, but since Ino died, he had been thinking about a lot of past mistakes and all the things he wanted to say to her. He had everything planned out. If he saw her again, he was going to have a strict schedule of everything he would say and do. He had a lot of free time on his hands anyway.

"Shikamaru!"

The Nara looked up as he was called; finding Chouji standing in front of him, grinning. "What's up Chouji? Is your favorite BBQ place holding a free lunch buffet?" he asked.

"That," Chouji said as his grin spread wider. "And.. uh.. just come with me to the gates. I know you're going to like it." He said in a singsong voice, before turning and bolting towards the gates. Shikamaru frowned. He never thought he saw Chouji move that fast. If it made the Akimichi boy run, it must've been good.

Shikamaru picked up his pace and pretty much ran full speed towards the gates, his curiosity getting to him. As soon as he arrived, he found a whole bunch of people standing around. Many were people he knew.

He arrived at the scene, looking around in confusion before a hand grabbed him and pulled him into the crowd. "Sakura! You-"

He trailed off when he saw what she dragged him to see.

Standing next to an old man was Ino. Her long hair left to dangle on her shoulders. Her eyes alit with delight as she talked to many people she knew. Her smile left him breathless. Her laugh was like the tinkling of bells to his ears. He couldn't breathe. She was alive! She was alive! He could have attacked her and pulled her into a bone-crunching hug right then and there, had he not his pride.

So, casually, he stepped up to her. Her eyes darted over to him as he approached, her eyes seemed to lit up a bit with recognition, and... confusion? He shook it away as he smiled. "Ino..." he said. "I..." he trailed off. He had so many things he wanted to say to her. He had them all listed out! But now that he actually saw her, they all disappeared from his mind in a flash. "I missed you." He admitted finally, taking a step forward. He wanted to hold her. He wanted to kiss her. But, he knew, in front of all the people, Ino would get mad. Despite what people actually thought, Ino was shy. And so was he.

"Do... I know you?" she asked.

He almost stumbled from the shock.

"You seem so familiar." She said, as she studied his face. "Were we friends?"

He glanced around the crowd. Silently demanding that someone tell him what was going on.

"Come here my boy," the old man said, placing a hand on his shoulder and reeling him away from the crowd. As soon as they were out of earshot, the man smiled. "In advance, I'd like to say I'm sorry."

"What happened?" Shikamaru hissed, not caring who this man was as long as he gave him answers. "What happened to her? Why doesn't she know me?"

The man sighed. "She hit her head and had a small concussion. She picked up amnesia along the way." He explained, glancing over his shoulder at Ino, who was talking and laughing with some of the surrounding people.

Shikamaru could only stare. "Do you know how bad it was?" He asked.

"I'm no doctor," he replied. "But even I could see that it wasn't that bad. She remembered some things. Like her parent's faces and some small things like that. But most of her memory was lost."

Shikamaru inwardly sighed. Her memories of him must've been lost as well.

"She means a lot to you." Shikamaru turned as the man spoke. "I can see it. So, I want you to personally help her remember who she is." The old man smiled, stepping up next to him. "She was devastated when she couldn't remember who she was, and spent a lot of time crying. So, I want to see her laugh. She should always be this happy." He patted him on the back. "Consider it a wish from a dying man." He said, before walking over to where Ino stood.

Shikamaru placed his hands in his pockets, watching as Ino spoke with her friends. Sighing, he turned on his heel. _"She doesn't need my help. She's got plenty others there for her."_ With that, he turned on his heels and headed back towards his house.

---

Shikamaru hurled another shuriken at a spot on the tree. It hit off to the side, deeply stuck into the wood. He ground his teeth and threw another. Then another. Then another. He had found over the years that throwing shurikens was a very good way to vent his anger.

He threw another shuriken just as someone appeared from behind the tree. He cursed, but she managed to easily avoid it. "Whoa," the blonde said, before turning to look at him. "Watch where you're throwing those things."

He frowned. "Ino?" he asked as if to clarify her identification. She smiled and bounded over to him, nodding.

"Yup. That's my name. Yamanaka Ino. Chuunin. Isn't it great to have a name?" she asked. He frowned. Well, she was overly giddy.

"Don't you have people to talk to? People who are supposed to help you regain your memory?" he asked, turning his attention back to the tree as he hurled another shuriken.

She shrugged. "I gave them the slip. They were boring."

Shikamaru inwardly sighed. Such an Ino thing to do...

"Maybe..." Ino said trailing off as she looked up at him. "You could help me regain my memory."

The shuriken left his hand and made an awkward turn, landing pitifully in the ground not far from where he stood. "What?" he cried, turning to look at her. "Why me?"

"I don't know," the blonde admitted, smiling sheepishly. "I'd just feel better if it was you."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Do you even know my name?"

"Yes!" she snapped, before trailing off. "It's...um... wait, don't tell me."

"Don't hurt yourself," he muttered, turning back to his shuriken throwing. "It's Nara Shikamaru."

Ino glanced down at the ground as if trying to remember something. "Nara Shikamaru... that sounds so familiar..." she trailed off, before looking back up at him. "So, you'll help me?"

"I never said tha-"

"Great! It's a date!" she chirped before he could refuse. "Meet me here tomorrow at ten. Then you can show me around town." She waved and turned. "Don't be late." She added, before heading off into the foliage.

Shikamaru blinked.

Then he blinked again.

Did he just get a date with Yamanaka Ino?

The Nara couldn't help but grin.

* * *

**A/N: **Hm. I'm debating weather or not to bring Temari back into the story to screw Shikamaru over. Oh well, I hoped you enjoy this chapter. And thanks again for reading. 


	9. Of Bitter Fueds

**Broken Contract**

**Chapter Nine**

It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining and the birds were singing. It was literally a day out of a fairy tale. Nothing could go wrong. Shikamaru had run around that morning, making sure everything was ready. He didn't know why, but he had been in such a frenzy. He had just decided that it was all because this was almost like a first date. Ino couldn't remember their real first date, so he had to make an impression. Once he was ready, he went out and got Ino, and they were off.

Ino said she just really wanted to tour around town, and so they did. They walked through all the districts, and Ino would point a thing out here and there she could remember, smiling. She was so giddy because she could remember certain things, and it made him smile. He was glad she was happy. This was the Ino he loved to see, carefree, not weighed down by the pain of being a shinobi. In truth, Shikamaru just wanted all the meaningless fighting to end. He decided long ago that they should all just give up fighting and relax. Watch the clouds. He certainly thought that those elders could use a day of relaxation.

Shikamaru was really enjoying today. It was like all those years ago on their first official date. Of course, Ino had spent that whole day, fixing him up, telling him he was doing things wrong. So, this was better than his first date!

The two sat down and were enjoying ice cream; Ino was naming off all the people she had "met." Shikamaru didn't mind hearing her list of names. "Isn't it great?" she chirped after she was done. "All these people know me! They are my friends and family!"

"I guess it must be hard to lose your memory," he pointed out.

She nodded. "When I woke up, I had no idea who I was. It was rather scary." She said, taking another bite out of her ice cream. "But now I have a home; a family."

He watched her for a long time, before his eyes drifted past her shoulder and caught another blonde's eyes. He resisted the temptation to wiggle in his seat.

Temari strode up to them, smiling devilishly. "Ah, so it seems Ino and Shikamaru are out together," she said, as she took a seat with them at the small table they were seated at. "On a date I presume?"

Shikamaru kept his lips sealed. He knew what she was doing. No matter what he said she would twist it around to backfire on him.

"Um... do I know you by any chance?" Ino asked; her brows furrowed in an attempt to remember her.

Temari turned a loathing, pitied look over to Ino, and instantly the girl felt a familiar feeling of anger. "Name's Temari," she replied, studding her. "And I'm Shikamaru's girlfriend."

Shikamaru opened his mouth to protest. But Temari cut him off. "Don't worry about that sweetheart, I've forgiven you." She said with a casual smile, before turning her judging gaze back to Ino, as if asking her what she was going to do.

Ino's blue eyes darted back from Shikamaru to Temari. "O-Oh, well, I didn't mean to intrude," she said, as she stood. "I-I'm sorry; I'll leave you alone."

Shikamaru opened his mouth to protest, when Temari slammed her lips down on his, cutting off any call he might have had. She only released him when Ino disappeared into the crowds. He practically pushed her off of him, wiping his mouth. "What is wrong with you!" he snapped.

Temari purred. "I don't like you, Shikamaru," she said, as she moved forwards, tracing her finger along his cheek. "I hate you. And for that, I'm going to ruin your life, and everyone part of it."

Growling, Shikamaru threw her off of him and stood. He turned to try and find Ino, but already found her gone and lost in the crowd.

---

Ino was wandering aimlessly. He had a girlfriend? Of course. She had to laugh at her own foolishness. Of course he had a girlfriend. Why wouldn't he? Maybe that was why he was reluctant to accept her proposal at the training field. He was probably about to tell her he had a girlfriend, but she cut him off before he did.

Somehow, Ino knew this feeling of helplessness, and broken heartedness. She had felt it some time before. _"Was it because of him?"_ When Ino looked up, she found herself on a familiar street. _"I know this place!"_ She thought, as she picked up her pace. She wandered through a maze of empty houses. She could feel a chill run up her spine. It felt... lonely. But somehow, she knew where she was going. She found herself in front of a large manor. Stepping up, she knocked on the front door, unsurely at first, before she gained confidence and knocked louder.

After a moment, a young man no older than her answered the door. He had deep black eyes, and tossed black hair. He was wearing a light t-shirt with easy shorts. He was certainly handsome. "Something wrong Ino...?" he asked, frowning. He knew about her "condition" but mostly tried to avoid it.

A thousand images burned into her retinas. She stared at him, wide eyed and disbelieving. "Sas...uke...?" she whispered, as she instantly remembered him, and her twelve year old crush on him. "Sasuke! Sasuke! Sasuke!" she lunged forward, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face into his shoulder. She then let out all her emotions, sobbing into his shoulder. Sasuke stumbled backwards in shock from the sudden attack.

The ninja then lost his balance and fell back into the floor. Ino didn't seem to notice, and instead continued to sob uncontrollably into him. Sasuke sighed, placing his hands lightly on her back in an attempt to comfort her. He was sick and tired of being dragged into Ino and Shikamaru's problems. Why couldn't they find someone else to be their middle person?

Turning to look down at her, Sasuke sighed. "There, there Ino," he said in a pathetic attempt to comfort her. "Come on, let's get out of the doorway. I'll make you some tea."

---

Shikamaru couldn't find Ino anywhere, and it was starting to worry him. After a long time of searching, Shikamaru went home, and fell back into his bed. He was tired, and felt like he'd never find her. Besides, it's not like she'd leave the village. She probably... just went to one of the places he didn't check. Yeah, that had to be it.

For some reason, he found Tsunade's voice echoing in his mind.

_"Her brain has been damaged in a certain way," Tsunade explained as she paced the length of her office, Shikamaru's eyes studying her closely. "Even with an examination I can only find out so much." _

_"Give it to me straightly." Shikamaru said. _

_Tsunade sighed. "Well, one of three things could happen. Her mind may heal and she may regain all of her lost memory," she said, pausing, before continuing pace. "Or, only part of her memory could heal, meaning most of her memories will return, save for old unimportant events Ino doesn't wish to remember." She paused turning to look at him. _

_"Or?" Shikamaru pressed, the tension silently killing him. _

_"Her mind may not recover at all, and the one or two memories she has now could be all that she'll ever remember," Tsunade turned her cold brown eyes over to him. "In other words, her amnesia will be permanent." _

Shikamaru groaned, and sat up. There was no real point in loafing around, despite the fact that that was one of his favorite things to do. Right now, he had to find Ino. Groaning, he headed out the door and down the street.

---

Shikamaru saw Ino here and there for the next couple of days. He wanted more than anything to find her, and explain what was going on. The thought that Temari might have gotten to her first kept haunting him. What would she say to her? Would Temari truly ruin any chance he might have gotten with Ino? Shikamaru dreaded the answer.

It had been several days later. Shikamaru was heading down the road with Chouji after one of their weekly lunches, when he spotted her. It was a fleeting image through the crowd, but he saw her. Giving no explanation to Chouji, he took off full speed after her. "Ino! Ino!" he cried, but found it did little good, and decided to save his breath.

He moved around people and over toppled trashcans. He moved with the skill of an expert ninja, betraying his normal lazy attitude.

As soon as he caught up with her, he grabbed her wrist, causing her to look back at him. "Wha-" she cut herself off, and blinked momentarily, before she frowned further. "Oh. It's you."

"Ino, let me explain." he pleaded.

"Oh, you don't have to," she said, her voice laced with anger. 'Temari told me all about your game?"

Shikamaru felt the dread inside him swell up to the size of a watermelon. "Temari...?"

"Yes!" Ino snapped, turning to face him and putting her hands on her hips. "Temari told me all about how you try to get all the girls in Konoha on your bed."

"On my bed...?" Shikamaru mumbled.

"She said that I was one of the only girls who didn't go with you. So you leapt at the opportunity when I couldn't remember you!" She practically yelled. "You won't fool me Nara Shikamaru! Not one bit!"

Shikamaru felt helpless. He wanted to tell her it wasn't the truth. He wanted to tell her Temari was lying to her, but... he found he had no voice. "Ino..." he whispered, shaking his head. "Please just..."

Her fiery temper lashed out at him. "Just what? Trust you? Let you take advantage of me?"

Despite her yells, he rested his head on her shoulder. The blonde was surprised by his actions. "I'm sorry..." he whispered, his eyes closed. 'It's not true... I don't... I...' there was nothing he could say, so instead, he lifted his forehead from her shoulder, and turned his back. "I'm really sorry I bothered you." And with that, he turned and left.

---

It was several days later that Shikamaru was called into Tsunade's office. He arrived late, and found many people all standing, cramped in her office. He took note that most of them were the genin from his generation. Many eyes were on him, as if waiting for him to hurry up and enter so they could get it over with. Carefully, he stepped into the office, and stood next to Kiba, who stood with his arms crossed and a frown on his face.

Tsunade tore her attention from Shikamaru to gaze around at the people all gathered around her desk. "People," she said, looking from person to person. "You have all been gathered here because a crisis has begun to take form." She paused, letting a small murmur ring through the group. "About two months ago, Orochimaru planned an attack on Sand, which we intercepted. This caused many casualties on our part." She paused again. "Unfortunately, Orochimaru has taken this interception as a challenge and declared war."

This caused loud whispers to rip through the crowd. Shikamaru gazed around, and spotted Ino standing next to Sasuke. He didn't miss the hold on his jacket grow tighter.

"What are we going to do then?" Naruto shouted rather loudly.

Tsunade shot him a glare, telling him to shut up, before returning to gazing around at the assembly. "We have already set up a camp not two days outside of Konoha. We also have guard posts all the way up to the border. There is no way Orochimaru is going to get by without triggering one of our watch posts.

"The problem is, when he does trigger one, he will be prepared. So, I've assembled all of you here because I know you will be able to handle an attack if one should arise."

"So what?" Kiba shouted. "You're sending us in without any backup- to handle Orochimaru should he decide to stroll along?" Kiba snapped sarcastically.

Tsunade shot him a glare. "Of course not!" she said. "Suna is sending their own team, of fifteen to twenty ninja. After about a week, we will be sending another wave of at least two hundred ninja. Suna will send it's own reinforcements as well."

Shino frowned, although no one could tell from beneath his jacket. "So Sound is going to try and take down the combined strength of Suna and Konoha. Surely he is insane."

Tsunade turned to look at him. "It's actually not what you think. Orochimaru has gathered the strengths of both Rock and Rain. We are expecting their attack any day."

Someone mumbled "traitorous bastards," from somewhere in the room, most likely from Naruto.

"Pack up your bags and kiss goodbye to your loved ones." Tsunade said as she gazed into the eye of each Shinobi in the room. "Because tomorrow, there's no guarantee you'll be coming home."

* * *

**A/N: **How long has it been? Months? I'm terribly sorry and I hope I need lose any readers because of my long absence from this story.

Yes, I have no excuses for you like; "My internet was down." Or anything. I just plain had no insperation to write this. Then of course I went onto YouTube, and watched ShikaIno amv's and I was all hyped up to write this again.

So, please don't hate me, and I thank everyone who hasn't given up on me.


	10. Of Broken Friendships

**Broken Contract **

**Chapter Ten**

He'd had no time to talk to Ino, and it was slowly eating away at his confidence. During the trip to the watch post, Ino clung to Sasuke like there was no tomorrow. This must've been terrifying for her. She probably didn't even remember her first real mission. Shikamaru had no doubt the only reason she was on this mission was because she had somehow wormed her way into it. He wondered momentarily if she'd regret it soon.

During the whole trip he couldn't get close to her. Even after they arrived at the watch post, he would only catch a glimpse of her, before he was dragged off by another nin. Tsunade had practically put him in charge of the entire thing. There were a few older jounin ahead of him, but besides that, he had to plan out the battle strategies and how they were going to reinforce the weaker points on the watch post.

It left him with no time to talk to Ino.

"Shikamaru?" Blinking out of his thoughts, he turned to look up at Naruto, who had called his name. "You zoned out there for a while."

Shikamaru shook his head, focusing back on the map of the watch post in front of him. "I'm sorry..." he mumbled. "What was I saying?"

"How to reinforce the southern walls," an older jounin chimed in.

Shikamaru tried to focus back down on the page in front of him, but felt his mind slipping away each time he tried. He blinked, the blueprints in front of him swimming before his eyes. He held his head as a headache began to sit in. "Are you okay, Shikamaru?" Naruto asked again. He was anxious; Shikamaru could hear his fingers tapping on the desk. It felt as though they were tapping on the inside of his mind. It was driving him mad.

"No," Shikamaru finally answered. "I'm not feeling well; I think I'm going to go lie down."

"We'll postpone the meeting until tomorrow morning then," an older jounin added in.

"Don't bother," Shikamaru grumbled, as he turned towards the door. "Carry on. Naruto can fill me in tomorrow." Not even bothering to give his friend one last glance, he turned and left.

Shikamaru continued down the hall of the strong hold, finding the halls strangely empty. He could hear commotion come from the dinning hall, mostly whoops and cheers from some sort of contest Shikamaru had no intention of taking part in. Other then that, the entire place seemed empty. He could hear his footsteps ringing off the empty air. It was almost deafening to hear. He knew the dorms were coming up, and he looked up reflexively. Standing in the middle of the hallways was Ino. She was leaning against a nearby wall, simply staring at him. Her gaze was not filled with hatred however. It was filled with wonder, bemusement. Shikamaru took this for a good thing and quickened his pace to meet her.

"Ino…" he muttered, as he looked down into her blue, blue eyes. He wondered; when was the last time she looked up at him like that?

"What do you want?" she snapped, trying to hold bitterness in her tone but failing miserably. "I'm waiting for someone."

He gripped her by the shoulder gently, hating the way she flinched under his touch. He rested his forehead against hers, closing his eyes in exhaustion. She did not push him away or glare back. She just stared. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm sorry Temari got to you before I could. I really am."

He no longer cared what she thought of him. He just wanted this one moment. This one moment where she wouldn't push him away or yell at him. He leaned down, slowly, uncertain, before pushing his lips to hers.

He could practically feel her melt under his touch. She completely relaxed into him, and then, began kissing him back. He felt like crying cry sheer joy. She then gently broke the kiss, giving him a slight shove. "You… you…" she tried out, but could not form a proper sentence. He leaned down before she could insult him and kissed her again, this one lasting longer then the previous. They stood, melting into one another for a moment longer before Ino broke the kiss once again.

She managed to regain her composure and slap him across the face. This hadn't been the first time Shikamaru had been slapped by her. And it was nothing compared to some of her others. Despite the fact that he could hear the slap ringing off the air, the pain felt like nothing. "Stop kissing me," she whispered hoarsely. "Just stop it…" She seemed like she was about to break down, and cry. Shikamaru felt horrible.

Someone cleared their throat next to them, and they both turned to find Sasuke standing next to them, hard charcoal gaze directed on the both of them. "Am I interrupting something?" he asked.

Shikamaru released Ino, stepped away from Ino, glancing away in annoyance and embarrassment. Sasuke didn't wait for an answer from them, however, as he trained his gaze on Ino. "Ino," he said voice calm and masked. "Are you all right?"

Ino nodded meekly, but couldn't stop the tears from breaking free and rolling down her face.

"Good," Sasuke said, before he turned to Shikamaru, and in one swift move, punched him to the face. Shikamaru was thrown back by the force, his back connecting with the wall. He clutched his face as his cheek suddenly burned with white hot pain. Damnit. Now _that _hurt. He heard Ino squeak in surprise, but could not longer see her through his blurred vison. As he blinked away pained tears, he saw Sasuke wrap a comforting arm around her shoulders hooting him a cold look. "Leave Ino alone or I swear you'll have plenty more bruises to accompany that one." And then the pair turned, and left. Leaving Shikamaru in the hall to grumble as the large purple bruise started to take shape.

---

"Ow," was all Shikamaru could grumble out as the ice pack touched his eye again. He had one hell of a black eye, and it had swollen slightly, making him hate Sasuke all the more. He was suddenly thinking the man was taking "comforting" Ino a little too far.

"Oh stop being a baby," Sakura scolded lightly, as she placed it back, tapping his sore spot lightly. "Now are you going to tell me what happened or do I have to rely on gossip?"

Shikamaru pursed his lips, annoyed that Sakura could so easily pry her way into his life. Still, he needed some advice. He had no idea what to do next, and it was driving him crazy. "I… kissed Ino," he muttered in defeat.

At this, Sakura raised a pink brow. "Oh?" her tone was amused.

He scowled. "Then Sasuke caught us, and punched me," he added.

Sakura laughed lightly, still patting the ice pack to his cheek. "Yes, somehow that doesn't surprise me." The pair were seated in the large infirmary, which at the moment was empty. There were white sheets and white walls and white floors. It was blinding, in Shikamaru's opinion. And he didn't need any more damage done to his eyes. "It seems like Sasuke is really enjoying her company, you know? As much as he would never admit it."

"What the hell am I supposed to do?" Shikamaru growled, allowed a small amount of his frustration to leek out.

Sakura shrugged. "I don't know. Ino's not talking to me, so it's not like I could weasel you in."

At this, Shikamaru raised a confused brow. "She's not talking to you?"

Sakura shook her head. "She's been clinging to Sasuke like a lifeline. It's like she hasn't left his side since this whole mess began," she paused, once again shifting the ice pack. "This is going leave a nice bruise," she added randomly.

"Don't change the subject," Shikamaru snapped. "I always thought Sasuke as the anti-social type. Why is he allowing Ino to cling to him like that?"

Ino shrugged. "Everybody needs comfort sometimes. He is human after all," she trailed off, her eyes darting from the icepack to meet his gaze. "It's strange, you know?"

"Yeah," Shikamaru muttered, barely audible.

Maybe he should've seen this coming. He was a genius, after all. Why couldn't he plan ahead? But as Sakura leaned forwards, capturing her own lips in his, Shikamaru felt stunned. He could only sit there motionless, as the kiss had somehow deepened. It suddenly broke, and Sakura looked on him, horror-struck. "Oh no…" she breathed.

A loud thunk caused both their eyes to fly towards the door. A flash of yellow caught their eyes, but a second the man was barreling down the hall, already lost in the strong hold's maze-like halls. The large pack of ice sat at the door, unmoving.

"Naruto!" Sakura cried, rising to her feet and bolting after him.

Shikamaru stared. Confused and disoriented. He could only stare dumbly, wondering what catastrophes he'd somehow wound himself into. As the pain in his eye dimmed to a dull throbbing, he just knew the ringing silence in the room was the calm before the storm.

---

Dinner had to be the most uncomfortable thing in the entire world.

He sat alone. The only person who dar3ed sit with him was Chouji. He was thankful for the large man's continuous chatter about this or that. Sakura sat with Hinata, and some other nins, very melancholy about the whole thing. Naruto and Sasuke sat at the same table, Ino still clinging to the Uchiha's arm for dear life. They shot him dirty looks when he glanced their way. He felt low. Really low. And he had no real idea why.

Pushing his soup around with his spoon, he finally looked back up, trying to focus on what Chouji was saying. It was no use though. The man's words were like a foreign language to him. So with a sigh, he pushed his chair back, causing more then one pair of eyes to flicker to him. "I'm sorry Chouji," he muttered. "I have to go; I'll talk to you later." Without another word he turned, dumping off the remains of his food before heading over towards his dorm.

He spent the next few hours immersed in blue prints. He was supposed to figure out strategies and how to reinforce the southern walls. Even as the hours rolled by, he felt like he had gotten nothing done.

He was halfway through his fifteenth paper airplane when he heard someone yelling. The voices were muffled, but they sounded familiar. Glad for the distraction, he got his feet and headed towards the door. Pulling it open, he found Naruto and Sakura standing outside. There were several onlookers, come to watch the fight. Shikamaru knew instantly that this was bad, and that he could crawl back into his dorm and lock the door. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was going to here.

But before he could slink back into his dorm, bright, fierce blue eyes settled on him, and he knew all hell had broken loose. "You," Naruto growled, grabbing him by the front of his vest and dragging him into the hall for all eyes to see. "Who the hell do you think you are?" he half-yelled.

"Naruto! Stop!" Sakura shouted, but her efforts were lost on the raging blonde.

"I didn't do anything," Shikamaru said calmly, trying to reason with him. "And neither did Sakura. What happened was completely and totally by accident."

"Bullshit," Naruto growled, dropping the man and glaring daggers at him. "So just because you lost Ino, you think you can move in on my territory?!" He was getting very predatory. So much though that it was almost frightening.

"I did no such thing," Shikamaru snapped back.

"Naruto, stop it!" Sakura yelled again, but Naruto pushed her back.

"Don't lie, you bastard!" Naruto then lunged forwards. Shikamaru foresaw the attack, but could do little to side-step it as the blow connected with his stomach. For the second time in a day he felt his back connecting with the wall. His legs gave out under him as he tried to catch his friend. "I don't want to see your face anymore," Naruto growled, turning and bolting down the hallway.

Sakura didn't even pause to see if Shikamaru was okay as she rushed down the hall to find out if Shikamaru was all right. He could hear distant yelling, before everything went silent. Shikamaru glanced up as the crowd began to disappear, leaving Chouji to help him stand.

As Shikamaru looked up, his eyes connected with Ino's and he felt a painful stab of guilt. She looked sad. Heartbroken. She just stared at him, before slowly shaking her head. "How could you?" she breathed, before turning and swiftly heading down the hall.

Great, Shikamaru groaned. He wished he could just fall back and forget everything ever happened. He had a feeling though that he still had more to face.

* * *

**A/N: **Drama! Drama! Drama! Teehee. This took me a while. Sorry about that. I just haven't had time to actually sit down and think about what I had to write. But I finally forced my butt into the chair and started writing. I promise the next chapter won't take as long. And if it does, then I allow my reviewers to chop off my feet so I have to write it.

-gulp- I like my feet, so I hope the next idea doesn't take too long.


	11. Of Rekindled Love

**Broken Contract **

**Chapter Eleven**

Naruto refused to talk to him, Sakura was avoiding him, probably out of embarrassment, Ino still hated him, and Sasuke continued to glare at him while keeping a protective hand on Ino. Things were falling apart at the seams and he didn't even know where to begin. On top of that the recruits from Sand arrived, and Temari was among them. Shikamaru felt like he could put a kunai through his eye at that very moment, because it seemed everything was falling apart around him.

For the most part, Temari ignored him. But that was what was bothering him. Why the hell was she ignoring him all of the sudden? She had to have some sort of plan in mind; because there was no way she was going to just forget him like that. No, something was going on, he just wasn't sure what. He hated not knowing.

He had decided to take these things on straight away. He was going to deal with Naruto, and Temari, and then he would handle Ino and Sasuke. There was no way he could handle being on a mission with them if he couldn't straighten things out. So immediately after breakfast, he went out to find Naruto.

The young man had been in the training area, beating a target bag. As Shikamaru watched the young blond wail into the hard leather bag, he only prayed that his face wouldn't soon be in the same situation. With a sigh and a mumble of 'troublesome' he headed up to stand next to the blond, watching him punch the bag, slamming a kick that was hard enough to pull at the chains in the roof, threatening to pull it out.

"What the hell do you want?" Naruto snapped suddenly, his eyes darkening as he continued to slam into the leather punching bag.

"I wanted to explain things," Shikamaru said blandly, watching with disinterest. "How it happened."

Naruto suddenly stopped beating the bag, turning towards the dark-haired Nara with unnaturally calm eyes. Blue fire still raged, but it seemed to have boiled down to a simmer. "I know," he said simply. "Sakura told me everything after I hit you."

"I'm sorry," Shikamaru said simply.

"No, I am," Naruto said, punching one last time into the bag, listening to the chains clank together above him. "I acted like a jerk, and for that I'm sorry." Shikamaru could only let a smile tug softly on his lips. "Is there anything… y'know that I can do to make it up to you?"

"Put Temari on washroom duty?" Shikamaru asked, humor dancing in his eyes. Naruto laughed as well, as though it was a release of tension that had built up within him.

"Hell man, I wish I could do that. Sometimes I just can't stand her. I wonder how Gaara can do it all the time."

"Gaara's a very patient man," Shikamaru replied, grabbing a nearby water bottle and handing it out to the young man. Naruto accepted it, and drank the liquid down gratefully.

"It's not very polite to talk about someone behind their backs."

The pair turned almost instantly, surprised to find said Kazekage of Suna standing behind them, his face as unreadable as ever. Shikamaru's eyes widened a fraction. He never got over how terrifying Gaara could be at times. He could still remember how horrid the young redhead had been only a few years ago. But now, Shikamaru could almost detect the barest hints of a smile as the blond turned and welcomed his friend loudly.

"Gaara!" Naruto exclaimed, grinning until it seemed his face would crack. "When did you get here?"

"Just now," the stoic kage said simply. "I need to discuss some things with you, Naruto, and you, Shikamaru. It's concerning Sound's movements."

Immediately, the two ninja from Konoha's expressions darkened. Naruto's fists clenched at his side, and Shikamaru ground his teeth. "What's going on?" Naruto asked simply.

Gaara sighed through his nose, but otherwise gave no indication to his irritation. "Shinobi from Sound are moving out in a wide arc all around us. I believe they're trying to gain the advantage of all sides. Defense now would be our best option."

"Okay then!" Naruto cheered, fisting his hand. 'Let's call the men together and start planning our retaliation attack."

"Oh, and Naruto," Gaara added, causing the blond-haired fox-boy to blink.

"What?"

"You might want to shower first."

Shikamaru suppressed a smirk as Naruto grinned. "That would be a good idea."

---

The meeting dragged on for an agonizing amount of time. They missed lunch, and by the time it was finished dinner was just ending. Everyone in the meeting was starving by the time the meeting drew to a close, but important strategies had been planned, and Shikamaru had been glad that they could finally get some important planning done. Tomorrow was going to be atrocious itself in preparation and Shikamaru wanted nothing more then to get a decent meal in him and head to bed.

He'd managed to catch the tail end of dinner, grabbing something to eat before taking a seat at a table. He ate alone, as everyone else had finished and moved off onto more important tasks. He spotted Temari hanging by the door, eyeing him as he began to finish his dinner. Shikamaru paid her no mind, and prayed she would just _piss off and leave him the hell alone._

But Temari continued to linger as he placed his tray back on the shelf, and turned towards the door. When he got there, she reached out a grabbed his wrist, spinning him back to face her with astounding strength. She stared at him like a predator eyeing its dinner, as she pulled herself closer to him. She pressed herself tight against him, and Shikamaru remembered why he'd been attracted to her in the first place. He inwardly cursed his male hormones and attempted to step away, but she held firm.

"I've grown bored of this place," she told him in a low whisper as she leaned up, nipping his ear. Shikamaru felt himself shudder involuntarily. "Come back to my room, Shika-kun, it might be fun."

"Piss off, Temari," Shikamaru snapped, shoving her off of him with an amazing feat of control. "I don't want to talk to you, let alone be in the same room with you. So stop bothering me."

The woman pouted with her full lips, batting her eyelashes in a way that would've made any man succumb. "Come on Shika-kuuuun. You know I really like it when you—" as she reached out to him, he abruptly slapped her hand away. A dark look crossed her features immediately, and her pout turned into a scowl. "Fine." Was all she said after a tense moment of silence before turning and stalking down the hall.

Shikamaru surprised himself with that rare bit of control as he turned to head for his dorm room. He didn't want anything now. He just wanted to sleep, and he prayed he would meet no one else on his way to his room. Luckily, his silent prayers were answered when he discovered no one on his way. It was when he arrived in his room that he came across someone. Shikamaru would've been annoyed if he wasn't so surprised.

"Ino…?"

The young blond-haired woman stood in the center of his room, clad in sleeping pants and a tank top. Her hair was down on her shoulders, and her eyes seemed uncertain in the dim light. It seemed like she was about to head to bed herself when she'd somehow stumbled across his room. He had to be dreaming, right? He must've been, and if he could move, he would've pinched himself. Where was the camera? Sasuke? This had to be some horrible joke that would blow up in his face any moment now.

The pair simply stood, staring at each other for a long moment. Sky-blue orbs caught black in the dim light, and neither dared to move to break the tense atmosphere. They stood frozen for only god knows how long, before finally Ino moved. It wasn't to stalk out, or to slap him or even to yell, but it was to fall back onto his bed as she began to cry. She placed a hand over her mouth, attempting to suppress sobs and only then did Shikamaru chose to move.

He crossed the room swiftly, bending down in front of her and attempting to pull the hands away from her face. Ino, stubborn as ever, continued to pull away from him, attempting to hide her tears. "Ino…" he said softly, his heart breaking at the sight of her so distressed. He wanted to put his arms around her, and simply hold her, but he wasn't sure if she would allow the contact. "What happened…?"

"I hate you!" Ino scream suddenly, her eyes blazing despite the fact that they still poured tears. "Why the hell am I so… why do I keep…" she began to sob again, and covered her face with her palms. "Why do I care about you so much?"

Shikamaru's breath caught at her words, as he moved to sit next to her. Deciding to be bold, he placed a hand around her shoulder, before pulling her into a hug. She relaxed there, gripping the fabric of his shirt tightly in her hands. "You do not know how much I want to be with you," Ino said softly, hiccupping. "But everything… and she… and I don't know what to believe anymore…I want to be with you, even if you do end up hurting you in the end."

Cupping her chin in his hand, Shikamaru turned Ino's face up to meet his, swimming in blue orbs. "I would never hurt you intentionally, Ino," Shikamaru said simply, watching more tears pour from her eyes. "I don't care whatever anyone said, I want to be with, forever, and I am in no way whatever Temari told you. You have been the only girl I've ever… really…" beginning to fumble over words, Shikamaru found he could only do one thing to express how he felt.

He kissed her.

Ino all but melted at the contact, falling against him as she killed him back that smoke volumes of how she felt. Easily, the pair fell back into the bed, and Shikamaru kicked off his shoes, not even bothering to get out of his uncomfortable ninja clothes as he pulling Ino closed. The kiss broke, and the two merely stared at each other. Shikamaru interlaced their fingers, drawing the blond closer to him. "Ino…" he whispered. "I want you to make a contr5act with me."

Ino's voice caught at those words, and she used her free hand to cover her mouth as more tears began running down her face. Shikamaru knew instantly that she remember, and that only made him feel better and he pulled her closer. "That means, when we grow up, you have to marry me. And you're not allowed to see any other guys."

He brought their hands to his lips, kissing each one of her fingers while his eyes stayed trained on hers. "That way," he whispered against her knuckles. "We can write our names on a piece of paper, and we can be forever and ever. The two of us."

Pausing, he wiped away a few tears that stubbornly clung to her eyelashes. "Will you be a part of my contract, Ino?" he whispered, offering her a soft smile. She pulled her hand from her mouth, smiling broadly as her eyes shimmered.

"Of course I will," she whispered, winding her hands behind his neck and pulling him close. Shikamaru's hand found the small of her back, and he simply held her, glad for this rare opportunity to hold her. It felt like so long since he'd felt her skin under her hands, and the scent of her shampoo. Shikamaru had never realized how much he needed her—how much he loved her—until she was gone. You want what you can't obtain, eh? Shikamaru felt like chuckling at the irony.

Her placed a kiss to her neck, allowing his eyes to fall closed. "I love you, Yamanaka Ino," he said softly.

"I love you too, Nara Shikamaru," she replied softly.

Comforted by the fact that he'd finally won back the girl of his dreams, Shikamaru allowed his eyes to slide closed. His entire body relaxed as his thoughts drifted on Ino moments before the pair drifted off into slumber, enveloped in each other's arms.

The peace and tranquility of the night seemed to stretch on forever, and it seemed that morning would bring nothing but harmony. And as they lay sleeping, somewhere within the walls, a voice chuckled.

"Let's begin, shall we?"

And then all hell broke loose.

* * *

**A/N: **Hi everyone! (sweatdrop) I put a lot of ShikaIno in this chapter just for you guys. Too bad it's short. But the end is within sight now, and there should only be two or three more chapters left. They will not be five months apart, since I know what I'm doing. I do not know when the next chapter will be up, so please don't ask me. All I know if that the end is within my reach and the next chapter will be up as soon as I have another couple hours to think on it.

Anyway, I love you all, and I hope you al won't kill me for taking too long.


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